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"OUT    OF    MY    WAY,    BOY  !  "    AND  NOW  THE  GUERRILLA  RAISED  HIS  OWN 

sword. — Frontispiece. 
Young  Captain  Jack. 


■mil  mtwtmummBmasswuamm 


T 


JACK 

Or,    The    Son    of  a    Soldier 


9. 


BY 
HORATIO   ALGER,   JR. 

AUTHOR  OF  "ADRIFT   IN    NEW   YORK,"  "CHESTER  RAND,' 
"  PAUL    THE    PEDDLER,"    ETC. 

COMPLETED   BY 

ARTHUR   M.    WINFIELD 

AUTHOR  OF  "THE  ROVER  BOYS  AT  SCHOOL,"  "THE 
ROVER  BOYS  ON  THE  OCEAN,"  ETC. 


GROSSET    &     DUNLAP 

PUBLISHERS         ::  ::         NEW   YORK 


UWUUWl'JjailWIIIJIMMI 


BY  THE  SAME   AUTHOR 

THE  YOUNG  BOOK  AGENT; 

Or,  Frank  Hardy's  Road  to  Success. 

FROM  FARM  TO  FORTUNE; 

Or,  Nat  Nason's  Strange  Experience. 

LOST  AT  SEA; 

Or,  Robert  Roscoe's 

Strange  Cruise. 

JERRY,  THE  BACKWOODS  BOY; 

Or,  The  Parkhurst  Treasure. 

NELSON,    THE  NEWSBOY; 

Or,  Afloat  in  New  York. 

YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK; 
Or,  The  Son  of  a  Soldier. 

OUT  FOR  BUSINESS; 

Or,  Robert  Frost's  Strange  Career-. 

FALLING  IN  WITH  FORTUNE; 
Or,  The  Experiences  of  a 

Young  Secretary. 

l2mo,  finely  illustrated  and  hound.     Price, 
fer  volume,  bo  cents. 


GROSSET   &  DUNLAP 

PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


Copyright,  igoi,  by 
THE  MERSHON  COMPANY 


PREFACE. 

"  Young  Captain  Jack  "  relates  the  adven- 
tures of  a  boy  waif,  who  is  cast  upon  the  Atlantic 
shore  of  one  of  our  Southern  States  and  taken  into 
one  of  the  leading  families  of  the  locality.  The 
youth  grows  up  as  a  member  of  the  family,  know- 
ing little  or  nothing  of  his  past.  This  is  at  the  time 
of  the  Civil  War,  when  the  locality  is  in  constant 
agitation,  fearing  that  a  battle  will  be  fought  in 
the  immediate  vicinity.  During  this  time  there 
appears  upon  the  scene  a  Confederate  surgeon 
who,  for  reasons  of  his  own,  claims  Jack  as  his 
son.  The  youth  has  had  trouble  with  this  man 
and  despises  him.  He  cannot  make  himself  be- 
lieve that  the  surgeon  is  his  parent  and  he  refuses 
to  leave  his  foster  mother,  who  thinks  the  world 
of  him.  Many  complications  arise,  but  in  the  end 
the  truth  concerning  the  youth's  identity  is  un- 
covered, and  all  ends  happily  for  the  young  son  of 
a  soldier. 

In  its  original  shape  Mr.  Alger  intended  this 
tale  of  a  soldier's  son  for  a  juvenile  drama,  and  it 

iii 


IV  PREFACE. 

is,  therefore,  full  of  dramatic  situations.  But  it 
was  not  used  as  a  play,  and  when  the  gifted  author 
of  so  many  boys'  books  had  laid  aside  his  pen  for- 
ever the  manuscript  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  the 
present  writer,  to  be  made  over  into  such  a  book  as 
would  evidently  have  met  with  the  noted  author's 
approval.  The  success  of  other  books  by  Mr. 
Alger,  and  finished  by  the  present  writer,  has  been 
such  that  my  one  wish  is  that  this  story  may  meet 
with  equal  commendation. 

Arthur   M.   Winfield. 

February  i6,  igoi. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER 

I.  The  Encounter  on  the  Bridge, 

II.  Darcy  Gilbert's  Story, 

III.  A  Mystery  of  the  Past,        . 

IV.  On  Board  the  Wreck,   .        . 
V.  Old  Ben  Has  a  Visitor,         . 

VI.  Mrs.  Ruthven's  Story, 

VII.  A  Setback  for  St.  John, 

VIII.  The  Home  Guards  of  Oldville, 

IX.  Dr.  Mackey  Investigates,     . 

X.  The  Papers  on  the  Wreck, 

XI.  Mrs.  Ruthven  Speaks  her  Mind 

XII.  The  Boat  Race  on  the  Bay, 

XIII.  Dr.  Mackey  Tells  his  Story, 

XIV.  Jack  Speaks  his  Mind, 

XV.  Captain  Jack  at  the  Front, 

XVI.  Colonel  Stanton's  Visit, 

XVII.  A  Scene  in  the  Summerhouse, 

XVIII.  Meeting  of  the  Cousins, 

XIX.  A  Summons  from  the  Front, 

XX.  The  Storm  of  Battle  Again, 

XXI.  A  Lively  Fire,        .        .        . 

XXII.  After  the  Battle,  .        . 

XXIII.  Dr.  Mackey's  Bold  Move,     . 


PAGH 
I 

9 
16 

23 
30 
38 
47 
54 
63 
71 
78 
86 

95 
105 
114 
125 
134 
143 
154 
163 
172 
180 
188 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGB 

XXIV.  The  Hunt  for  Jack, 197 

XXV.  A  Remarkable  Revelation,         .        .        .  204 

XXVI.  Dr.  Mackey  Shows  his  Hand,           .        .  212 

XXVII.  Colonel  Stanton's  Tale,    ....  220 

XXVIII.  In  the  Hands  of  the  Guerrillas,    .        .  228 

XXIX.  The  Escape  from  the  Cave,       .        .        .  235 

XXX.  Brought  to  Bay, 243 

XXXI.  Father  and  Son — Conclusions    .       .        ,  252 


YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    ENCOUNTER    ON    THE    BRIDGE. 

"  Get  out  of  the  way,  boy,  or  I'll  ride  over 
you!" 

"  Wait  a  second,  please,  until  I  haul  in  this  fish. 
He's  such  a  beauty  I  don't  wish  to  lose  him." 

"  Do  you  suppose  I'm  going  to  bother  with  your 
fish  ?  Get  out  of  the  way,  I  say !  "  And  the  man, 
who  sat  astride  of  a  coal-black  horse,  shook  his 
hand  threateningly.  He  was  dressed  in  the  uni- 
form of  a  surgeon  in  the  Confederate  Army,  and 
his  face  was  dark  and  crafty. 

The  boy,  who  was  but  fourteen  and  rather  slen- 
derly built,  looked  up  in  surprise.  He  was  seated 
on  the  side  of  a  narrow  bridge  spanning  a  moun- 
tain stream  flowing  into  the  ocean,  and  near  him 
rested  a  basket  half -filled  with  fish.  He  had  been 
on  the  point  of  hauling  in  another  fish — of  extra 
size — but  now  his  prize  gave  a  sudden  flip  and  dis- 
appeared from  view. 


2  YO  UNG   CA  P  TA  IN  J  A  CK. 

"  Gone !  and  you  made  me  miss  him ! "  he 
cried,  much  vexed. 

"  Shut  up  about  your  fish  and  get  out  of  the 
way !  "  stormed  the  man  on  the  horse.  "  Am  I  to 
be  held  up  here  all  day  by  a  mere  boy?  " 

"  Excuse  me,  but  I  have  as  much  right  on  this 
bridge  as  you,"  answered  the  boy,  looking  the  man 
straight  in  the  eyes. 

"  Have  you  indeed  ?  " 

"  I  have." 

"  Perhaps  you  think  yourself  of  just  as  much 
importance  as  a  surgeon  in  the  army,  on  an  im- 
portant mission." 

"  I  didn't  say  that.  I  said  I  had  just  as 
much  right  on  this  bridge  as  you.  It's  a  public 
bridge." 

"  Bah !  get  out  of  the  way  and  let  me  pass.  I've 
wasted  time  enough  on  you."  The  man  tugged 
nervously  at  his  heavy  mustache.  "  Which  is  the 
way  to  Tanner's  Mill  ?  " 

To  this  the  youth  made  no  reply.  Gathering 
up  his  fishing  rod  and  his  basket,  he  stepped  to  the 
river  bank  and  prepared  to  make  another  cast  into 
the  water. 

"  I  say,  tell  me  the  way  to  Tanner's  Mill,"  re- 
peated the  man. 

"  I  reckon  you  had  better  go  elsewhere  for  your 
information,"  returned  the  boy  quietly,  but  with 


THE  ENCOUNTER   ON   THE  BRIDGE.  3 

a  faint  smile  playing  over  his  handsome,  sun- 
burned face. 

"  What,  you  young  rascal,  you  won't  tell  me?  " 
stormed  the  man. 

"  No,  I  won't.  And  I  beg  to  let  you  know  I 
am  no  rascal." 

"  You  are  a  rascal,"  was  the  snappy  reply. 
"  Answer  my  question,  or  it  will  be  the  worse  for 
you,"  and  now  the  man  leaped  to  the  ground  and 
advanced  with  clenched  fists.  Possibly  he  thought 
the  youth  would  retreat ;  if  so,  he  was  mistaken. 

"  Don't  you  dare  to  touch  me,  sir.  I  am  not 
your  slave." 

"  You'll  answer  my  question." 

"  I  will  not." 

"Why  not?" 

"  Because  you  haven't  treated  me  decently; 
that's  why." 

"  You  hold  a  mighty  big  opinion  of  yourself." 

"  If  I  do,  that's  my  own  business." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  a  Northern  mudsill." 

"  No,  I  am  just  as  loyal  to  the  South  as  you  or 
anybody." 

"  I  wouldn't  care  to  take  your  word  on  that 
point,  youngster.  I  am  on  an  important  mis- 
sion, and  if  you  sympathize  with  our  South  in  this 
great  war  you'll  direct  me  to  the  short  way  to 
Tanner's  Mill." 


4  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Do  they  expect  a  fight  at  Tanner's  Mill  ?  " 

"  Don't  bother  me  with  questions.  Show  me 
the  road,  and  I'll  be  off." 

"  Keep  to  the  right  and  you'll  be  right,"  an- 
swered the  youth,  after  a  pause,  and  then  he  re- 
sumed his  fishing. 

The  man  scowled  darkly  as  he  leaped  again  into 
the  saddle.  "  How  I  would  love  to  warm  you — 
if  I  had  time,"  he  muttered,  then  put  spurs  to  his 
steed  and  galloped  off. 

"  So  he  is  going  to  Tanner's  Mill,"  mused  the 
boy,  when  left  alone.  "  If  they  have  a  fight  there 
it  will  be  getting  pretty  close  to  home.  I  don't 
believe  mother  will  like  that." 

As  will  be  surmised  from  the  scene  just  de- 
scribed, Jack  Ruthven  was  a  manly,  self-reliant 
boy,  not  easily  intimidated  by  those  who*  would 
browbeat  him. 

He  lived  in  a  large  mansion,  set  back  some  dis- 
tance from  the  river,  upon  what  was  considered 
at  that  time  one  of  the  richest  plantations  in  South 
Carolina. 

Mrs.  Ruthven  was  a  widow,  having  lost  her 
husband,  Colonel  Martin  Ruthven,  at  the  bloody 
battle  of  Gettysburg.  She  had  one  daughter, 
Marion,  a  beautiful  young  lady  of  seventeen. 
Marion  and  Jack  thought  the  world  of  each  other 
and  were  all  but  inseparable. 


THE  ENCOUNTER   ON   THE  BRIDGE.  5 

The  sudden  taking-off  of  the  colonel  had  proved 
a  great  shock  both  to  the  children  and  to  Mrs. 
Ruthven,  and  for  a  long  time  the  lady  of  the 
house  had  lain  on  a  bed  of  sickness,  in  conse- 
quence. 

She  was  now  around,  but  still  weak  and  pale. 
Her  one  consolation  was  the  children,  and  she 
clung  to  them  closer  than  ever. 

On  several  occasions  Jack  had  spoken  of  enlist- 
ing as  a  drummer  boy,  but  Mrs.  Ruthven  would 
not  listen  to  it. 

"  No,  no,  Jack !  I  cannot  spare  you !  "  had  been 
her  words.  "  One  gone  out  of  the  family  is 
enough." 

And  Marion,  too,  had  clung  to  him,  so  that 
going  away  became  almost  an  impossibility,  al- 
though he  longed  for  the  glories  of  a  soldier's  life, 
with  never  a  thought  of  all  the  hardships  and  suf- 
ferings such  a  life  entails. 

The  meeting  with  the  Confederate  surgeon  had 
filled  Jack's  head  once  more  with  visions  of  army 
life,  and  as  he  continued  to  fish  he  forgot  all  about 
the  unpleasant  encounter,  although  he  remem- 
bered that  repulsive  face  well.  He  was  destined 
to  meet  the  surgeon  again,  and  under  most  dis- 
agreeable circumstances. 

"  I  wish  mother  would  let  me  join  the  army," 
he  thought,  after  hauling  in  another  fish.     "  I  am 


6  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

sure  our  regiments  need  all  the  men  they  can  get 
Somehow,  we  seem  to  be  getting  the  worst  of  the 
fighting  lately.  I  wonder  what  would  happen  if 
the  South  should  be  beaten  in  this  struggle?  " 

Ten  minutes  passed,  when  a  merry  whistle  was 
heard  on  the  road  and  another  boy  appeared,  of 
about  Jack's  age. 

"  Hullo,  Darcy!  "  cried  Jack.     "  Come  to  help 

me  fish?  " 

"  I  didn't  know  you  were  fishing,"  answered 
Darcy  Gilbert,  a  youth  who  lived  on  the  plantation 
next  to  Jack.     "  Are  you  having  good  luck  ?  " 

"  First-rate.  I  was  getting  ready  to  go  home, 
but  now  you  have  come  I'll  stay  a  while  longer." 

"Do,  Jack;  I  hate  to  fish  alone.  But  I  say, 
jack "     And  then  Darcy  broke  off  short. 

"  What  were  you  going  to  say?  " 

"  Oh,  nothing !  " 

There  was  a  minute  of  silence,  during  which 
Darcy  baited  his  hook  and  threw  it  in. 

"  You  look  as  if  you  had  something  on  your 
mind,  Darcy,"  went  on  Jack,  after  his  friend  had 
brought  in  a  fine  haul  apparently  without  appre- 
ciating the  sport.  "  Did  you  meet  a  Confederate 
surgeon  on  the  road?  " 

"  No,  I  came  across  the  plantation.    What  of 

him?" 

"  He  came  this  way,  and  we  got  into  a  regular 


THE  ENCOUNTER   ON   THE  BRIDGE.  1 

row  because  I  wouldn't  clear  right  out  and  give 
him  the  whole  of  the  bridge." 

"  He  didn't  hit  you,  did  he?" 

"  Not  much !  If  he  had  I  would  have  pitched 
into  him,  I  can  tell  you,  big  as  he  was!  "  And 
Jack's  eyes  flashed  in  a  way  that  proved  he  meant 
what  he  said. 

"  No,  I  didn't  meet  him,  but  I  met  St.  John 
Ruthven,  your  cousin.  Jack,  do  you  know  that 
that  young  man  is  a  regular  bully,  even  if  he  is  a 
dandy?" 

"  Yes,  I  know  it,  Darcy." 

"  And  he  is  down  on  you." 

"  I  know  that  too.  But  why  he  dislikes  me 
I  don't  know,  excepting  that  I  don't  like  to  see 
him  paying  his  addresses  to  my  sister  Marion. 
Marion  is  too  good  for  such  a  man." 

"  Is  he  paying  his  addresses  to  her?  " 

"  Well,  he  is  with  her  every  chance  he  can 
get." 

"  Does  Marion  like  him  ?  " 

"  Oh !  I  reckon  she  does  in  a  way.  He  is  al- 
ways so  nice  to  her — much  nicer  than  he  has  ever 
been  to  me." 

"  Has  he  ever  spoken  to  you  about  yourself?  " 
went  on  Darcy  Gilbert,  with  a  peculiar  look  at 
Jack. 

"Oh,  yes!  often." 


8  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  I  mean  about — well,  about  your  past?  "  went 
on  Darcy,  with  some  confusion. 

"  My  past,  Darcy?  What  is  wrong  about  my 
past?" 

"  Nothing,  I  hope.  But  I  didn't  like  what  St. 
John  Ruthven  said  about  you." 

"But  what  did  he  say?" 

"  I  don't  know  as  I  ought  to  tell  you.  I  didn't 
believe  him." 

"  But  I  want  to  know  what  he  did  say  ?  "  de- 
manded Jack,  throwing  down  his  fishing  pole  and 
coming  up  close  to  his  friend. 

"  Well,  if  you  must  know,  Jack,  he  said  you 
were  a  nobody,  that  you  didn't  belong  to  the  Ruth- 
ven family  at  all,  and  that  you  would  have  to  go 
away  some  day,"  was  the  answer,  which  filled  Jack 
with  consternation. 


CHAPTER  II. 

DARCY    GILBERT^    STORY. 

"He  said  I  didn't  belong  to  the  Ruthvetl 
family?"  said  Jack  slowly,  when  he  felt  able  to 
speak. 

"  He  did,  and  I  told  him  I  didn't  believe  him." 

"  But — but — I  don't  understand  you,  Darcy. 
Am  I  not  Jack  Ruthven,  the  son  of  the  late  Colo- 
nel Martin  Ruthven?" 

"  He  says  not." 

"  What !  Does  he  mean  to  say  that  my  mother 
isn't  my  mother  at  all?"  ejaculated  Jack,  with 
wide-open  eyes. 

"  That's  it  exactly,  and  he  added  that  Marion 
wasn't  your  sister." 

"  I'll— I'll  punch  his  head  for  that !  "  was  the 
quick  return. 

"  I  felt  like  doing  that,  too,  Jack,  even  though 
he  is  so  much  older  than  either  of  us.  I  told  him 
he  was  a  mean  fellow  and  that  I  wouldn't  believe 
him  under  oath." 

"  But  how  did  it  all  come  about  ?  " 

°  Oh,  it  started  at  the  boathouse  back  of  Old 

9 


IO  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

Ben's  place.  He  wanted  to  bully  me,  and  I  told 
him  I  wouldn't  let  him  lord  it  over  me  any  more 
than  you  let  him  bully  you.  That  got  him  started, 
for  it  seems  he  was  sore  over  the  fact  that  you 
took  Marion  out  for  a  boatride  one  afternoon 
when  he  wanted  her  to  go  along  with  him  on 
horseback.  One  word  brought  on  another,  and 
at  last  he  said  he  reckoned  you  would  have  to 
clear  out  some  day — that  you  were  only  a  low  up- 
start anyway,  with  no  real  claim  on  the  Ruth- 
vens." 

"  He  said  that,  did  he?  "  Jack  drew  a  long 
breath  and  set  his  teeth  hard.  "  Did  he  try  to 
prove  his  words  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  give  him  a  chance.  I  was  so  upset  I 
merely  told  him  I  didn't  believe  him,  and  came 
away." 

"  And  where  did  he  go?  " 

"  He  started  off  toward  town." 

"  When  he  comes  back  I'm  going  to  find  out  the 
truth  of  this  matter." 

"  I  don't  believe  his  stor'y,  Jack,  and  I  wouldn't 
worry  myself  about  it." 

"  But  supposing  it  were  true,  Darcy — that  I 
was  a — a — nobody,  as  he  says?  " 

"  I  shouta.  think  just  as  much  of  you,"  answered 
the  other  lad  quickly. 

"  Thank  you  for  that." 


DARCY  GILBERT'S  STORY.  II 

"  St.  John  always  talks  too  much — don't  mind 
him." 

"  But  I  shall.  If  he  tells  the  truth  I  want  to 
know  it — and,  if  not,  I  shall  take  steps  to  make 
him  take  back  the  stories  he  is  circulating." 

"  It's  a  wonder  he  hasn't  gone  to  the  war. 
Why  doesn't  he  enlist,  like  the  rest  of  the  young 
men  in  this  neighborhood?  " 

"  He  says  he  must  stay  with  his  mother.  But 
the  real  reason  is,  I  think,  that  he  is  a  coward." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right.  I  remember  once, 
when  there  was  a  cry  of  mad  dog  in  the  town,  he 
hid  in  a  warehouse  and  was  almost  scared  to 
death." 

"  Yes,  I  remember  that,  and  I  remember,  too, 
when  Big  Bill,  the  slave,  ran  away  and  threatened 
to  kill  the  first  white  man  he  met,  St.  John  hid  in 
the  mansion  and  didn't  come  outside  the  door  for 
a  week." 

"  Such  a  coward  wouldn't  be  above  circulat- 
ing falsehoods." 

"  I  wish  I  knew  just  where  to  find  him.  I 
would  have  it  out  with  him  in  short  order,"  con- 
cluded Jack. 

The  youth  was  in  no  humor  for  further  fishing 
and  soon  wound  up  his  line  and  started  for  home. 

As  he  passed  along  over  the  plantation  road  his 
thoughts  were  busy.     Could  there  be  any  truth  in 


12  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

what  St.  John  Ruthven  had  said  ?  Was  he  really 
a  nobody,  with  no  claim  upon  the  lady  he  called 
mother  and  the  girl  he  looked  upon  as  his  sister  ? 
A  chill  passed  down  his  backbone,  and,  as  he  came 
in  sight  of  the  stately  old  mansion  that  he  called 
home,  he  paused  to  wipe  the  cold  perspiration 
from  his  forehead. 

"  I  will  go  to  mother  and  ask  her  the  truth,"  he 
told  himself.  "  I  can't  wait  to  find  out  in  any 
other  way."  Yet  the  thought  of  facing  that 
kind-hearted  lady  was  not  a  pleasant  one.  How 
should  he  begin  to  tell  her  of  what  was  in  his 
mind? 

"Is  my  mother  in?"  he  asked  of  the  maid 
whom  he  met  in  the  hallway. 

"  No,  Massah  Jack,  she  dun  went  to  town," 
was  the  answer  of  the  colored  girl. 

"  Did  she  say  when  she  would  be  back?  " 

"  No,  sah." 

"  Do  you  know  if  my  sister  is  around?  " 

"  She  dun  gone  off  not  five  minutes  ago,  Mas- 
sah Jack." 

"Whereto?" 

"  I  heard  her  say  she  was  gwine  down  to  Ole 
Ben's  boathouse.  I  'spect  she  dun  t'ought  yo' 
was  dar." 

Jack  said  no  more,  but  giving  the  colored  girl 
the  fish,  to  take  around  to  the  cook,  he  ran  up- 


DARCY  GILBERT'S  STORY.  1 3 

stairs,  washed  and  brushed  up,  and  sallied  forth  to 
find  Marion. 

The  boathouse  which  had  been  mentioned  was 
an  old  affair,  standing  upon  the  shore  of  a  wide 
bay  overlooking  the  Atlantic  ocean.  It  belonged 
to  a  colored  man  called  "  Old  Ben,"  a  fellow  who 
had  once  been  a  slave  on  the  Ruthven  plan- 
tation. 

As  Jack  approached  it  he  saw  Marion  sitting  on 
a  bench  in  the  shade,  with  a  book  in  her  lap.  In- 
stead of  reading,  however,  the  girl  was  gazing  out 
to  sea  in  a  meditative  way. 

"  Marion,  I  was  looking  for  you." 

"  Oh,  Jack !  is  that  you  ?  I  thought  you  had 
gone  fishing  for  the  day." 

"  I  just  got  home,  after  catching  a  pretty  good 
mess.     Want  to  go  rowing  with  me?  " 

"  Yes,  I'd  like  that  very  much.  I  was  wishing 
you  or  Old  Ben  would  come." 

"  Or,  perhaps,  St.  John  ?  "  said  Jack  inquir- 
ingly. 

"  No;  I  didn't  wish  for  him,  you  tease." 

"  I  am  glad  of  it,  Marion.  I  don't  want  you  to 
give  me  up  for  St.  John." 

"  I  do  not  intend  to,  Jack.  But  why  are  you 
looking  so  serious.  Have  you  anything  oh  youf 
mind?  I  never  saw  you  look  so  thoughtful  be- 
fore." 


14  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"Yes,  I  have  a  lot  on  my  mind,  Marion. 
Come,  I'll  tell  you  when  we  are  out  on  the  bay." 

A  rowboat  was  handy  and  oars  were  in  the 
rack  in  the  boathouse,  and  soon  the  pair  were  out 
on  the  water.  Although  but  a  boy,  Jack  took  to 
the  water  naturally  and  handled  the  oars  as  skill- 
fully as  the  average  sailor. 

When  they  were  about  halfway  across  the  bay 
he  ceased  rowing  and  looked  earnestly  at  the  girl 
before  him. 

"  Marion,  I  want  to  find  out — that  is,  I've  got 
some  questions  to  ask,"  he  blurted  out.  "  I  don't 
know  how  to  go  at  it." 

"  Why,  what  in  the  world  is  the  matter,  Jack? 
You  were  red  a  moment  ago.  Now  you  are  as 
pale  as  a  sheet." 

"  I  want  to  know  about  something  awfully  im- 
portant." 

"  I'm  sure  I  cannot  imagine  what  it  is." 

"  Marion,  aren't  we  real  sister  and  brother?  " 
,.     The  question  was  out  at  last,  and  as  he  asked  it 
his  eyes  dropped,  for  he  had  not  the  courage  to 
look  into  her  face.     He  felt  her  start  and  give  a 
shiver. 

"Oh,  Jack!  what  put  that  in  your  head,"  she 
said  slowly. 

"  Never  mind  that.  Tell  me,  are  we  real  sister 
and  brother  or  hot  ?  " 


DARCY  GILBERT'S  STORY.  1 5 

"  Jack,  we  are  not." 

"  Oh,  Marion !  "  The  words  almost  choked 
him,  and  for  the  moment  he  could  say  no  more. 

"  We  are  not  real  sister  and  brother,  Jack,  but 
to  me  you  will  always  be  as  a  real  brother,"  and 
Marion  caught  his  hand  and  held  it  tightly. 

"  And — and  mother  isn't  my — my  real 
mother?"  he  faltered. 

"  No,  Jack;  she  is  only  your  foster  mother. 
But  she  thinks  just  as  much  of  you  as  if  you  were 
her  real  son.  She  has  told  me  that  over  and 
over  again." 

"  You  are  sure  of  this  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Jack." 

"  Sure  I  am  a — a  nobody."  His  voice  sunk  to 
a  mere  whisper. 

"  You  are  not  a  nobody,  Jack.  When  you 
were  a  mere  boy  of  three  or  four  my  father  and 
mother  adopted  you,  and  you  are  now  John  Ruth- 
ven,  my  own  brother,"  and  she  gave  his  brown 
hand  another  tight  squeeze. 

He  was  too  confused  and  bewildered  to  answer 
at  once.  The  dreadful  news  was  true,  he  was  not 
really  a  Ruthven.  He  was  a  nobody — no,  he 
must  be  somebody.    But  who  was  he? 


CHAPTER  III. 

A    MYSTERY    OF    THE    PAST. 

"  I  do  not  know  that  I  have  done  just  right  by 
telling  you  this,"  went  on  Marion.  "  Mother 
may  not  approve  of  it." 

"  I  am  glad  you  told  me.  I  was  bound  to  find 
out  about  it,  sooner  or  later." 

"  That  is  true,  Jack.  But  both  mother  and  I 
dreaded  that  time.  We  were  afraid  you  might 
turn  from  us.     And  we  both  love  you  so  much !  " 

"  It  is  kind  of  you  to  say  that,  Marion."  Jack's 
face  flushed.  "  You  couldn't  be  nicer  if  you  were 
my  real  sister." 

"  And  mother  loves  you  so  much." 

"  I  know  that,  too — otherwise  she  wouldn't 
have  taken  me  in  as  she  did." 

"  What  put  it  in  your  head  to  ask  me  this  to- 
day?" 

"  Something  St.  John  Ruthven  said  to  Darcy 
Gilbert.  St.  John  said  I  was  an  upstart,  a 
nobody." 

"St.  John  had  better  mind  his  own  business! 

16 


A   MYSTERY  OF   THE  PAS>C  17 

It  was  not  cousinly  for  him.  to  interfere !  "     And 
Marion's  face  flushed. 

"  I  suppose  he  doesn't  look  at  me  in  the  light  of 
a  cousin.     He  considers  me  an  intruder." 

"  Well,  if  he  won't  count  you  a  cousin  he  need 
not  count  me  one  either — so  there !  " 

"  But  you  must  not  hurt  yourself  by  standing 
up  for  me,"  cried  Jack  hastily. 

"  I  will  not  hurt  myself — in  the  eyes  of  those 
whose  respect  is  worth  considering.  In  the  eyes 
of  the  law  you  are  my  real  brother,  for  my 
parents  adopted  you.  St.  John  must  not  forget 
that." 

"  But  tell  me  of  the  past,  Marion.  Where  did 
I  come  from,  and  how  did  I  get  here?  " 

"  It's  a  long  story,  Jack.  Do  you  see  yonder 
wreck,  on  Hemlock  Bluff  rocks  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure  I  do," 

"  Well,  when  that  wreck  came  ashore,  between 
ten  and  eleven  years  ago,  you  had  been  one  of  the 
passengers  on  the  boat." 

"Me!" 

"  Yes.  I  have  heard  mother  tell  of  it  several 
times.  It  was  a  fearful  night  and  Old  Ben,  he 
was  our  slave  then,  was  out  on  the  bluff  watching. 
Presently  there  was  the  booming  of  a  signal  gun 
— showing  the  ship  was  in  distress — and  soon  the 
ship  came  in  sight,  rocking  to  and  fro,  with  the 


18  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

wild  waves  running  over  her  deck.  Not  a  soul 
was  left  on  board,  captain  and  crew  having  all 
gone  down  in  the  ocean  beyond." 

"  But  where  did  they  find  me?  " 

"  On  the  beach.  Old  Ben  heard  a  cry  of  pain 
and  ran  in  the  direction  of  the  sound.  Soon  he 
made  out  the  form  of  a  woman,  your  mother. 
She  had  been  hurt  by  being  hit  with  some  wreck- 
age. You  were  in  her  arms,  and  as  Old  Ben  came 
up  you  cried  out :  '  Jack  is  hungry.  Give  Jack 
some  bread  and  butter,  please.'  " 

"  Yes,  yes !  I  remember  something  of  a  storm 
and  of  the  awful  waves.  But  it's  all  dreamy- 
like." 

"  You  were  only  three  or  four  years  old,  and  the 
exposure  nearly  cost  you  your  life.  Old  Ben  took 
you  and  your  mother  to  the  boathouse  and  then 
ran  up  to  the  plantation  for  help.  Father  went 
back  with  him,  along  with  half  a  dozen  men,  and 
they  brought  you  and  your  mother  to*  the  house. 
I  remember  that  time  well,  for  I  was  nearly  seven 
years  old." 

"But  my  mother,  what  of  her?"  asked  Jack 
impatiently. 

"  Poor  dear !  she  died  two  days  later.  The 
physicians  did  all  the)'-  could  for  her,  but  the  shock 
had  been  too  great,  and  she  passed  away  without 
recovering  consciousness." 


A   MYSTERY  OF   THE  PAST.  19 

"  Then  she  told  nothing  about  me — who  I 
was?" 

"  No.  All  she  did  say  while  she  lived  was 
'  Save  my  husband !  Save  my  darling  little 
Jack.'" 

"  Then  my  father  must  have  been  on  the  boat 
with  her?" 

"  Yes." 

"  And  they  did  not  find  his  body?  " 

"  No,  the  only  bodies  recovered  were  those  of 
sailors." 

"  Didn't  they  try  to  find  out  who  I  was  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure,  but,  although  father  did  his  best, 
he  could  learn  nothing.  Your  father  and  mother 
had  taken  passage  on  the  ship  at  the  last  moment 
and  their  names  did  not  appear  on  the  list  at  the 
shipping  offices,  and  none  of  the  books  belonging 
to  the  ship  itself  were  ever  recovered." 

"  Perhaps  they  are  on  the  wreck !  "  cried  Jack, 
struck  by  a  sudden  idea. 

"  No,  the  wreck  was  searched  from  end  to  end, 
and  all  of  value  taken  away." 

"  I'd  like  to  row  over  and  look  around." 

"  You  may  do  so,  Jack.  I  presume  the  wreck 
will  have  more  of  an  interest  than  ever  for  you 
now." 

The  distance  to  Hemlock  Bluff  rocks  was  a 
good  mile,  but  Jack  soon  covered  it  and,  bringing 


SO  YOUNG  CAFTAIN  JACK. 

the  boat  to  a  safe  corner,  he  assisted  Marion  out 
and  then  leaped  out  himself. 

"  This  news  is  enough  to  make  a  fellow's  head 
whirl,"  he  observed,  as  they  walked  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  wreck,  which  lay  high  up  on  the  beach. 

"  I  suppose  that  is  true,  Jack.  But  do  not  let 
it  worry  you.  You  are  as  dear  to  mother  and  me 
as  if  you  were  one  of  the  family." 

"  But  I  would  like  to  know  who  I  really  am." 

"  Perhaps  time  will  solve  the  mystery." 

Soon  the  pair  were  at  the  wreck,  which  lay  with 
its  bow  well  up  on  the  rocks  and  its  stern  project- 
ing over  the  sea. 

It  was  no  mean  task  to  reach  the  deck  of  the 
wreck,  but  Jack  was  a  good  climber  and  soon  he 
was  aboard.     Then  he  gave  Marion  a  hand  up. 

The  deck  of  the  wreck  was  much  decayed,  and 
they  had  to  be  careful  how  they  moved  around. 

"  I  am  going  below,"  said  the  youth,  after  a 
general  look  around. 

"  Be  careful,  Jack,  or  you  may  break  a  limb," 
cautioned  Marion. 

"  I  don't  suppose  you  care  to  go  down  with 
me?" 

"  I  think  not — at  least,  I  will  wait  until  you 
have  been  down." 

Soon  Jack  was  crawling  down  the  rotted  com- 
panion way.     At  the  bottom  all  was  dirty  and 


A    MYSTERY  OF    THE  PAST.  21 

dark.  He  pushed  open  the  door,  which  hung 
upon  one  rusty  hinge,  and  peered  into  the  cabin. 

"  I  wish  I  had  brought  a  lantern  along,"  he 
murmured,  as  he  stepped  into  the  compartment. 

As  Marion  had  said,  the  wreck  had  been  cleared 
of  everything  of  value.  All  the  furniture  was 
gone  and  the  pantries  and  staterooms  were  bare. 
From  the  cabin  he  passed  into  several  of  the  state- 
rooms. 

"  What  have  you  found?  "  called  Marion. 

"  Nothing  much." 

"  Any  mice  down  there,  or  spiders  ?  " 

"  None,  so  far  as  I  can  see." 

"  Then  I'll  come  down." 

Soon  Marion  was  beside  Jack,  and  the  pair 
made  a  tour  of  the  wreck  from  bow  to  stern. 
Their  investigations  proved  to  be  highly  interest- 
ing, and  they  spent  more  time  below  than  they  had 
anticipated  doing. 

"  We  must  get  back,  Jack,"  said  the  girl  at  last. 

"  Oh,  there  is  no  hurry !  Mother  is  not  at 
home,"  answered  Jack.  It  seemed  a  bit  odd  to 
call  Mrs.  Ruthven  mother  now  that  he  knew  she 
was  not  his  relative. 

So  fully  another  hour  was  spent  below,  moving 
from  one  part  of  the  big  wreck  to  another.  Pres- 
ently Jack  came  to  a  sudden  stop  and  listened. 

"  What  a  queer  noise,  Marion ! " 


22  YO  UNG   CA  P  TA  IN  J  A  CK. 

"  It  is  the  wind  rising-.  We  had  better  be  get- 
ting back,  before  the  bay  grows  too  rough  for 
rowing." 

"  You  are  right." 

Jack  ran  up  the  companion  way  and  Marion 
after  him.  To  their  surprise  the  sky  was  over- 
cast, and  the  wind  was  whipping  the  surface  of 
the  bay  into  numerous  whitecaps. 

"  We  must  lose  no  time  in  getting  back!  "  cried 
Jack.  "  As  it  is,  the  wind  will  be  dead  against 
us!" 

As  quickly  as  possible  he  assisted  Marion  over 
the  side,  and  then  both  set  off  on  a  run  for  the  little 
cove  where  the  rowboat  had  been  left  tied  up. 

As  they  gained  the  boat  Jack  gave  an  exclama- 
tion of  dismay. 

"  The  oars — they  are  gone!  " 

He  was  right.  Marion  had  shifted  their  posi- 
tion before  leaving  the  craft,  and  bumping  against 
the  rocks  had  sent  them  adrift. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

ON    BOARD    THE    WRECK. 

"  Jack,  what  shall  we  do  now  ?  "  asked  Marion, 
as  with  a  blanched  face  she  gazed  into  the  empty 
boat. 

"  Wait — the  oars  may  be  close  at  hand,"  he  re- 
plied.    "  I  will  make  a  search." 

"  And  so  will  I.     Oh,  we  must  find  them !  " 

They  ran  up  and  down  the  rocky  shore,  looking 
far  and  near  for  the  oars,  but  without  success. 
Presently  they  came  to  a  halt,  out  of  breath  with 
running. 

"  Gone,  sure  enough ! "  groaned  the  boy. 
"  What  a  pickle  we  are  in  now !  " 

"  We  can't  stay  here,  Jack." 

"  We'll  have  to  stay  here,  Marion,  unless  I  can 
find  the  oars  or  make  substitutes." 

"  How  are  you  going  to  make  substitutes?  " 

"  I  might  take  some  planks  from  the  wreck.'' 

"  But  you  have  no  tools." 

"  I  have  a  stout  jack-knife." 

"  It  will  take  a  long  time,  and  see,  it  is  already 
beginning  to  rain." 


24  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

Marion  was  right,  the  rain  had  started,  and  as 
it  grew  heavier  they  withdrew  to  the  shelter  of  the 
wreck. 

"  I  wouldn't  mind  staying  here  until  the  shower 
was  over,  only  I  wouldn't  want  mother  to  worry 
about  us,"  went  on  Marion,  when  they  were  safe 
under  cover. 

"  That's  just  it.  But  we  do  not  know  if  she  is 
home  yet." 

The  rain  soon  increased,  while  the  thunder 
rolled  in  the  distance.  But  they  felt  fairly  safe  in 
the  cabin  of  the  wreck,  and  sat  down  on  a  bench 
running  along  one  of  the  walls. 

"  This  looks  as  if  it  was  going  to  keep  up  all 
night,"  observed  Jack,  an  hour  later,  after  another 
look  at  the  sky  from  the  top  of  the  companion 
way. 

"  Oh,  you  don't  mean  we'll  have  to  remain  here 
all  night !  "  exclaimed  Marion. 

"  Perhaps,  Marion." 

"  But  I  do  not  wish  to  remain  in  such  a  place  all 
night." 

"  Are  you  afraid  of  ghosts?  "  and  Jack  gave  a 
short  laugh. 

"  No,  Jack;  but  you'll  admit  it  isn't  a  very  nice 
place." 

"  I  know  that.     But  that  isn't  the  worst  of  it." 

"Not  the  worst  of  it?" 


ON  BOARD    THE    WRECK.  25 

es  No.  You  must  remember  that  we  have  noth- 
ing to  eat  or  to  drink  here." 

"  That  is  true,  but  I  do  not  feel  much  like  eat- 
ing or  drinking  just  now." 

"  Yes,  but  you'll  be  hungry  and  thirsty  before 
morning,  Marion." 

"  Perhaps.  We  can  drink  rain  water,  if  we 
wish." 

Another  hour  passed  and  the  storm  grew  more 
violent.  The  lightning  flashed  across  the  sky  and 
lit  up  the  wreck  from  end  to  end.  Then  a  black- 
ness as  of  night  followed. 

"We  could  not  row  ashore  now,  even  if  we  had 
oars,"  observed  Marion,  as  she  listened  to  the 
howling  of  the  wind. 

"  You  are  right,  Marion.  My,  how  it  does 
blow!" 

Suddenly,  the  sounds  of  footsteps  on  the  deck 
of  the  wreck  reached  their  ears. 

"  Somebody  is  coming !  "  said  Jack,  and  looked 
up  the  companion  way.     "  Why,  it's  Old  Ben !  " 

He  was  right ;  it  was  Ben  the  fisherman  who  had 
put  in  an  appearance,  market  basket  in  hand. 

"  Marion !  Jack !  Am  dat  yo'  ?  "  came  in  an 
anxious  voice. 

"  Yes,  Ben !  "  cried  both. 

"What  brought  you?"  continued  the  boy. 

"  I  dun  thought  yo'  was  a-wantin'  ob  Ole  Ben," 


26  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

grinned  the  colored  man.  "  I  seed  yo'  rowin'  off 
an'  I  didn't  see  yo'  cum  back,  so  I  says  to  myself, 
'  Da  is  stuck  fast  on  de  wreck.'  An'  den  I  says, 
1  Da  aint  got  nuffin  to  eat.'  So  ober  I  comes,  an' 
wid  a  basketful  of  good  t'ings  from  de  planta- 
tion." And  he  held  up  the  market  basket.  He 
was  soaked  from  the  rain,  and  the  water  ran  from 
his  clothing  in  a  stream. 

"  Ben,  you  are  a  jewel !  "  burst  out  Marion  and 
patted  his  wet  coat-sleeve  affectionately. 

At  this  the  old  negro  grinned  broadly.  He 
had  always  been  a  privileged  character  on  the 
Ruthven  plantation,  and  being  set  free  had  not 
ended  his  affection  for  his  former  mistress  and 
her  children. 

"  It  was  very  kind  to  come  over,"  said  Jack. 
"  Does  mother  know  we  are  here?  " 

"  I  dun  left  word  dat  I  was  comin'  ober  an'  dat 
I  thought  yo'  was  yeah,  sah,"  answered  Ben. 

He  had  brought  all  the  good  things  necessary, 
along  with  plates,  cups,  knives  and  forks,  and  soon 
had  the  spread  ready  for  them.  Then  he  went  off 
to  another  part  of  the  wreck  to  wring  out  his  wet 
garments. 

"  It  was  very  nice  of  Old  Ben  to  come  to  us," 
said  Marion,  while  eating.  "  It  must  have  been 
no  easy  matter  to  row  from  the  shore  to  the 
rocks." 


ON  BOARD   THE    WRECK.  27 

"  Ben  is  as  good  a  boatman  as  there  is  in  these 
parts,  Marion.  It  was  kind,  and  he  ought  to  be 
rewarded  for  it." 

"  Mamma  will  reward  him,  beyond  a  doubt." 

The  storm  kept  increasing  in  violence,  and  be- 
fore the  strange  meal  was  disposed  of  the  thunder 
and  lightning  were  almost  incessant.  Ben  had 
brought  a  candle  along — knowing  the  darkness 
inside  of  the  wreck — and  this  was  all  the  light  they 
possessed,  outside  of  what  Nature  afforded. 

Ben  was  just  putting  the  dishes  back  into  the 
basket  when  there  came  an  extra  heavy  flash  of 
lightning,  followed  immediately  by  a  rending  clap 
of  thunder  which  almost  paralyzed  Marion  and 
Jack.  There  was  a  strange  smell  in  the  air,  and 
both  found  their  blood  tingling  in  a  manner  that 
was  new  to  them. 

"The  wreck — it's  been  struck  by  lightning!" 
gasped  Jack,  when  he  could  speak. 

"  Dat's  a  fac' !  "  came  from  Old  Ben.  "  It  was 
jess  like  de  crack  ob  doom,  wasn't  it?  " 

He  ran  on  deck,  and  Jack  followed  him,  with 
Marion  on  the  bottom  of  the  companion  way,  not 
knowing  whether  to  go  up  or  remain  below. 

The  bolt  had  struck  the  wreck  near  the  stern, 
ripping  off  a  large  part  of  the  woodwork,  and  had 
passed  along  to  one  side.  Just  below  the  deck 
line  a  lively  fire  was  starting  up. 


»8  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  De  wrack  am  gwine  to  be  burnt  up  at  las' !  " 
ejaculated  Old  Ben.  "  We  has  got  to  git  out, 
Massah  Jack !  " 

"  Come,  Marion !  "  called  back  the  boy.  "  It's 
too  bad  we've  got  to  go  out  in  the  rain,  but  I 
reckon  we  can  be  thankful  that  our  lives  have  been 
spared." 

"  Yes,  we  can  be  thankful,"  answered  the  girl. 
"  Oh,  what  a  dreadful  crack  that  was !  I  do  not 
believe  I  shall  ever  forget  it." 

She  came  on  deck  all  in  a  tremble,  and  with  the 
others  hurried  to  the  bow  of  the  wreck.  It  was 
much  easier  to  climb  down  than  to  climb  up,  and 
soon  all  three  stood  upon  the  rocks  below,  where 
the  driving  rain  pelted  them  mercilessly. 

"  I  t'ink  I  can  find  yo'  a  bettah  place  dan  dis  to 
stay,"  said  Old  Ben.  "  Come  down  to  de  shoah," 
and  he  led  the  way  to  where  he  had  left  his  boat. 
With  Jack's  assistance  the  craft  was  hauled  out  of 
the  water  and  turned  upside  down  between  two 
large  rocks,  and  then  the  three  crawled  under  the 
temporary  shelter. 

Thus  the  night  passed,  and  by  morning  the 
storm  cleared  away.     Looking  toward  the  wreck 
they  saw  that  only  a  small  portion  of  the  upper  \ 
deck  had  been  burned  away,  the  rain  having  put 
the  fire  out  before  it  gained  great  headway. 

It  did  not  take  Old  Ben  and  Jack  long  to  launch 


THE    THREE    CRAWLED    UNDER    THE    TEMPORARY    SHELTER. 

Young  Captain  Jack  ■ — Page  28. 


ON  BOARD    THE    WRECK.  2Q 

the  former's  craft  again,  and  this  done,  they  all 
entered  and  the  fisherman  started  to  row  them  to 
the  mainland.     Jack's  boat  was  taken  in  tow. 

"  That  was  certainly  quite  an  adventure,"  ob- 
served Jack,  as  they  landed.  "  Marion,  I  reckon 
you  don't  want  another  such." 

"  No,,  indeed!  "  replied  the  girl,  with  a  shiver. 
"  I  don't  believe  I'll  ever  go  over  to  the  old  wreck 
again." 

"  It's  a  wondah  dat  wreck  aint  busted  up  long 
ago,"  put  in  Old  Ben. 

"  It's  a  wonder  the  poor  people  around  here 
haven't  carried  off  the  wreckage  for  firewood, 
Ben,"  said  Jack. 

"  Da  is  afraid  to  do  dat,  Massah  Jack — afraid 
some  ob  de  sailors  wot  was  drowned  might  haunt 
'em." 

"  I  see.  Well,  I  don't  think  the  wreck  will  last 
much  longer,"  and  with  these  words  Jack  turned 
away  to  follow  Marion  to  the  plantation  man- 
sion, to  interview  his  foster  mother  concerning  the 
particulars  of  the  past.  Little  did  the  lad  dream 
of  what  an  important  part  that  old  wreck  was  to 
play  in  his  future  life. 


CHAPTER  V. 

OLD    BEN    HAS    A    VISITOR. 

St.  John  Ruthven  was  a  young  man  of 
twenty-five,  tall,  thin,  and  with  a  face  that  was  a 
mixture  of  craftiness  and  cowardice.  He  was  the 
son  of  a  half-brother  to  the  late  Colonel  Ruthven 
and  could  boast  of  but  few  of  the  good  traits  of 
Marion's  family.  He  lived  on  a  plantation  half  a 
mile  from  the  bay  and  spent  most  of  his  time  in 
attention  to  his  personal  appearance  and  in  horse- 
back riding,  of  which,  like  many  other  South- 
erners, he  was  passionately  fond. 

It  was  commonly  supposed  that  St.  John  Ruth- 
ven was  rich,  but  this  was  not  true.  His  father 
had  left  him  a  good  plantation  and  some  money 
in  the  bank,  but  the  young  planter  was  a  spend- 
thrift and  his  mother,  who  doted  on  her  son,  was 
little  better,  and  soon  nearly  every  dollar  which 
had  been  left  by  the  husband  and  father  had 
slipped  through  their  fingers.  More  than  this, 
St.  John  took  but  little  interest  in  the  plantation, 
which  gradually  ran  down  until  it  became  almost 
worthless. 

30 


OLD  BEN  HAS  A    VISITOR.  31 

"  St.  John,  my  dear,  we  must  do  something," 
the  mother  would  say,  in  her  helpless  way.  "  We 
cannot  live  like  this  forever." 

"  What  shall  I  do?  "  would  be  the  son's  reply. 
"  The  plantation  isn't  worth  working  and  I  have 
no  money  with  which  to  buy  another  place.  The 
niggers  are  getting  so  they  are  not  worth  their 
keep." 

"  But  you  told  me  yesterday  that  we  had  less 
than  a  thousand  dollars  left  in  the  bank." 

"  It's  true,  too." 

"  What  do  you  propose  doing  when  that  is 
gone?  " 

"  Oh !  our  credit  is  still  good,"  was  the  lofty 
answer. 

"  But  that  won't  last  forever,  St.  John." 

"  Something  may  turn  up." 

"  Everything  seems  to  prosper  at  Alice's  place," 
went  on  Mrs.  Mary  Ruthven,  referring  to  the 
home  of  Marion  and  Jack. 

"  I  know  that." 

"  And  we  are  continually  running  behind.  St. 
John,  you  ought  to  get  after  the  niggers  and  other 
help." 

"  I  wasn't  cut  out  for  work,  mother,"  was  the 
sour  answer. 

"  But  we  really  must  do  something,"  was  the 
half-desperate  response. 


32  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  I've  got  an  idea  in  my  head,  mother.  If  it 
works,  we'll  be  all  right." 

"What  is  the  idea?" 

"  I  think  a  good  deal  of  Marion.  Why 
shouldn't  we  marry  and  join  the  two  plantations? 
That  would  give  us  both  a  good  living." 

"  I  have  thought  of  such  a  plan  myself,  St. 
John.     But  there  may  be  an  objection." 

"  Do  you  think  Marion  would  refuse  me?  " 

"  She  might.  In  some  respects  Alice's  daugh- 
ter is  rather  peculiar." 

"  But  I  don't  see  why  she  should  refuse  me. 
Am  I  not  her  equal  in  social  position?  " 

"  What  a  question !  Of  course  you  are.  Still 
she  may  have  her  eyes  set  upon  somebody 
else." 

"  I  know  of  nobody.     Marion  is  still  young." 

'.  Have  you  sounded  her  on  the  subject?  " 

"  Not  yet,  but  I  will  soon.  She  has  Jack 
around  so  much  I  never  get  half  a  chance  to  talk 
to  her." 

"  Always  that  boy !  When  I  visited  Alice  last 
I  declare  she  talked  of  that  nobody  the  whole 
time, — what  a  wonderful  man  she  hoped  he  would 
make, — and  all  that.  Just  as  if  he  was  her  own 
flesh  and  blood !  "  and  Mrs.  Mary  Ruthven  tossed 
her  head  disdainfully. 

"  She  was  foolish  to  allow  that  nobody  to  think 


OLD  BEN  HAS  A    VISITOR.  33 

himself  a  Ruthven.  But  I  have  put  a  spoke  into 
his  wheel,  I  reckon." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  Did  you  tell  Jack  the 
truth  ?  " 

"  Not  exactly.  But  I  gave  a  pretty  broad  hint 
to  his  intimate  friend  Darcy  Gilbert,  and  Darcy, 
of  course,  will  carry  the  news  straight  to  Jack." 

"  Oh,  St.  John !  that  may  cause  trouble.  Your 
aunt  wished  to  keep  the  truth  from  the  boy  as  long 
as  possible.  She  told  me  she  did  not  wish  to  hurt 
his  feelings." 

"  He  had  to  learn  the  truth  sooner  or  later. 
Besides,  I  didn't  want  him  to  think  himself  a 
Ruthven  and  the  equal  of  Marion  and  myself," 
went  on  St.  John  loftily. 

There  was  a  moment  of  silence  and  Mrs.  Mary 
Ruthven  gave  a  long  sigh. 

"  Well,  I  would  not  delay  speaking  to  Marion 
too  long,"  she  observed.  "  Something  must  be 
done,  that's  sure,  and  if  you  wait,  Marion  and 
her  mother  may  find  out  how  hard  up  we  really 
are,  and  then  Marion  may  refuse  you  on  that 
account." 

"  I  shall  see  her  before  long,"  answered  the 
son. 

He  had  his  mind  bent  on  a  horseback  ride,  and 
was  soon  in  the  saddle  and  off  on  a  road  leading 
along  the  shore  of  the  bay.     He  hoped  to  find 


34  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

Marion  in  the  vicinity  of  the  old  boathouse,  but 
when  he  arrived  there  nobody  was  in  sight  but  Old 
Ben,  who  was  mending  one  of  his  fishing  nets. 

"  Ha,  Ben !  are  you  alone?  "  he  said,  as  he  dis- 
mounted and  came  into  the  boathouse. 

"  Yes,  Massah  St.  John,  I'm  alone  unless  there's 
some  ghostes  hidin'  around  yeah !  "  and  the  old 
negro  smiled  broadly.  He  understood  St.  John's 
character  pretty  thoroughly  and  despised  him  ac- 
cordingly. 

"  I  thought  Marion  might  be  around  here." 

"  She  aint  been  yeah  to-day,  sah.  She  an'  Jack 
was  out  on  de  bay  in  dat  awful  storm  yesterday 
and  I  reckon  it  was  most  too  much  fo'  dem." 

"  Out  in  that  awful  storm !  It's  a  wonder  the 
boat  didn't  upset." 

"  Da  was  ober  to  de  wrack  when  de  big  blow 
came." 

"Did  they  stay  there?" 

"  I  went  ober  after  'em  an'  da  come  in  dis 
mornin',  Massah  St.  John." 

"  Humph !  I  am  surprised  that  my  aunt  should 
trust  Marion  with  that  boy." 

"  Why  not,  Massah  St.  John  ?  Jack  can  man- 
age a  boat  as  well  as  I  can." 

St.  John  tossed  his  head  and  flung  himself  down 
upon  a  seat.  "  I  think  my  aunt  makes  a  fool  of 
herself  about  that  boy.     Who  is  he,  anyway? 


OLD  BEN  HAS  A    VISITOR.  35 

He's  only  an  ocean  waif;  of  low  birth,  very  prob- 
ably." 

Dat  he  isn't !  "  said  Old  Ben  indignantly. 
"  He's  a  young  gen'man,  Jack  is,  an'  so  was  his 
father." 

"  Bah !  what  do  you  know  about  his  father?  " 

"  He  couldn't  be  Jack's  father  without  bein'  a 
gen'man — dat's  wot  I  know,"  went  on  Ben 
stoutly.  "Why,  look  at  de  deah  chile!  How 
noble  an' — an' — handsome  he  is !  " 

"  Oh,  pshaw,  Ben !  you  had  better  stick  to  your 
nets.     What  do  you  know  about  a  gentleman?  " 

"  I  knows  one  when  I  sees  one,  Massah  St. 
John,"  was  the  somewhat  suggestive  response. 

"  Oh,  do  you  ?  And  I  know  an  impudent  nig- 
ger when  I  see  one!  "  cried  St.  John  angrily. 

"  No  offense,  Massah  St.  John." 

"  Then  be  a  little  more  careful  of  what  you  say." 
St.  John  tugged  at  the  ends  of  his  stubby  mus- 
tache. "  I  wish  I  had  that  boy  under  my  care," 
he  went  on. 

"  S'posin'  you  had,  sah  ?  " 

"  I'd  teach  him  his  place.  Why  should  he  be 
reared  as  a  gentleman — he,  a  poor  waif  of  the  sea? 
Probably  he  is  the  son  of  some  low  mechanic,  per- 
haps of  a  Northern  mudsill,  and  my  aunt — think 
of  it,  my  aunt — must  bring  him  up  as  a  Southern 
gentleman !  "     The  young  man  leaped  up  and  be- 


3^  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK\ 

gan  to  pace  the  boathouse  floor  nervously.  "  I 
suppose  she'll  leave  him  a  large  legacy  in  her  will." 

"  I  'spect  you  is  right,  Massah  St.  John;  dat  boy 
will  be  pervided  for,  suah  as  my  name's  Ben." 

"  You  talk  as  if  you  already  knew  something  of 
this?  "  said  St.  John  quickly. 

"  I  does  know  somet'ing,  sah." 

"  Has  my  aunt  ever  spoken  to  you  on  the  sub- 
ject, Ben  ? " 

"  I  don't  know  as  I  ought  to  answer  dat  dar 
question,  Massah  St.  John." 

"  Then  she  has  spoken.     What  did  she  say?  " 

The  colored  man  hesitated. 

"  As  I  said  befo',  sah,  I  don't  rackon  I  ought  to 
answer  dat  dar  question." 

"  But  you  must  answer  me,  Ben — to  keep  silent 
is  foolish.  Rest  assured  I  have  the  best  interests 
of  my  aunt  and  Marion  at  heart.  Now  what  did 
she  say?  " 

"  Well,  sah,  if  yo'  must  know,  she  said  as  how 
she  was  gwine  to  leave  Massah  Jack  half  de 
prop'ty." 

St.  John  leaped  back  in  amazement. 

"  You  don't  mean  that,  Ben !  "  he  gasped. 

"  Yes,  sah,  I  does  mean  it." 

"  Half  the  property  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sah." 

"  He  doesn't  deserve  it!  " 


OLD  BEN  HAS  A    VISITOR.  37 

At  this  the  old  negro  shrugged  his  huge  shoul- 
ders. 

"  Rackon  de  missus  knows  what  she  wants  to 
do." 

"  But  it  is  not  right — to  give  the  boy  half  the 
estate.  I  suppose  the  other  half  will  go  to 
Marion." 

"  Yes,  sah." 

The  young  man's  face  grew  pale,  and  he  began 
to  pace  the  floor  again. 

"  She  never  mentioned  me  in  connection  with 
this,  did  she?" 

"  No,  sah." 

"  And  yet  I  am  her  nephew." 

"  Rackon  she  dun  thought  yo'  was  rich  enough, 
Massah  St.  John." 

"  Perhaps  I  am,  Ben.  But  it  is  strange  that 
my  own  flesh  and  blood  should  forget  me,  to  take 
up  with  a  nobody.  Did  my  aunt  ever  speak  of 
the  particulars  of  what  she  intended  to  do?  " 

"  No,  sah." 

"  Humph !  It's  strange.  I  must  look  into 
this."  And  a  few  minutes  later  St.  John  Ruth- 
ven  was  off  on  horseback,  in  a  frame  of  mind  far 
from  pleasant. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MRS.    RUTHVEN'S    STORY. 

"  I  am  so  glad  to  see  you  both  back,  safe  and 
sound ! " 

It  was  Mrs.  Alice  Ruthven  who  spoke,  as  she 
embraced  first  her  daughter  and  then  Jack. 

"  And  we  are  glad  enough  to  get  back,  mother," 
answered  Marion. 

"  I  was  so  frightened,  even  after  Old  Ben  went 
after  you.     We  watched  the  lightning,  and  when 

it  struck  the  wreck "     Mrs.  Ruthven  stopped 

speaking  and  gave  a  shiver. 

"  We  weren't  in  such  very  great  danger,"  an- 
swered Jack.  Then  he  looked  at  the  lady  curi- 
ously. 

"  What  is  it,  Jack  ?  You  have  something  on 
your  mind,"  she  said  quickly. 

The  youth  looked  at  Marion,  who  turned  red. 

"  I — I — that  is,  mother,  Jack  knows  the  truth," 
faltered  the  girl. 

"  The  truth  ?  "  repeated  Mrs.  Ruthven  slowly. 

"  Yes,  Marion  has  told  me  the  truth,"  said  Jack, 
in  as  steady  a  voice  as  he  could  command.     "  And 

38 


MRS.   RUTH  YEN'S  STORY.  39 

so  I — I — am  not  your  son."  He  could  scarcely 
speak  the  words. 

"  Oh,  Jack !  "  The  lady  caught  him  in  her 
arms.  "  So  you  know  the  truth  at  last?  "  She 
kissed  him.  "  But  you  are  my  son,  just  as  if  you 
were  my  own  flesh  and  blood.  You  are  not  angry 
at  me  for  keeping  this  a  secret  so  long?  I  did  it 
because  I  did  not  wish  to  hurt  your  feelings." 

"  No,  I  am  not  angry  at  you,  Mrs.  Ruth " 

"  Call  me  mother,  Jack." 

"  I  am  not  angry,  mother.  You  have  been  very 
kind  to  me.  But  it  is  so  strange !  I  can't  under- 
stand it  all,"  and  he  heaved  a  deep  sigh. 

"  You  have  been  a  son  to  me  in  the  past,  Jack; 
I  wish  you  to  continue  to  be  one." 

"  But  I  have  no  real  claim  upon  you." 

"  Yes,  you  have,  for  my  late  husband  and  my* 
self  adopted  you." 

"  Marion  told  me  that  you  never  heard  one 
word  regarding  my  past." 

"  She  told  the  truth.  We  tried  our  best,  but 
every  effort  ended  in  failure.  Your  mother  called 
you  Jack  ere  she  died,  and  that  was  all." 

"What  of  our  clothing?  Was  none  of  it 
marked,  or  had  she  nothing  in  her  pocket?  " 

"  No,  the  clothing"  was  not  marked,  and  she  had 
nothing  in  her  pocket  but  a  lace  handkerchief,  also 
unmarked.     That  handkerchief  I  have  kept,  with 


4<>  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK, 

the  clothing.  And  I  have  also  kept  a  ring  she 
wore  upon  one  of  her  fingers." 

"  Was  that  marked  ?  " 

"  It  had  been,  but  it  was  so  worn  that  we  could 
not  make  out  the  marking,  nor  could  the  two 
jewelers  by  whom  we  had  the  ring  inspected." 

"  I  would  like  to  see  the  ring." 

"  I  will  get  it,"  returned  Mrs.  Ruthven,  and  left 
the  room.  Soon  she  came  back  with  a  small  jewel 
casket,  from  which  she  took  a  ring  and  a  very 
dainty  lace  handkerchief. 

"  Here  is  the  ring,"  she  said,  as  she  passed  it 
over  to  Jack. 

"  It  looks  like  a  wedding  ring,"  said  the  youth, 
as  he  gazed  at  the  circlet  of  gold. 

"  I  believe  it  is  a  wedding  ring." 

Jack  looked  inside  and  saw  some  markings,  but 
all  were  so  faint  that  it  was  impossible  to  make  out 
more  than  the  figures  i  and  8. 

"  Those  figures  stand  for  eighteen  hundred  and 
something,  I  imagine,"  said  Mrs.  Ruthven. 
"  They  must  give  the  year  when  your  mother  was 
married." 

"  I  suppose  you  are  right." 

"  The  ring  belongs  to  you,  Jack.  I  would  ad- 
vise you  to  be  careful  of  it." 

"  If  you  please,  I  would  like  to  have  you  keep  it 
for  the  present." 


MRS.   RUTHVEN'S  STORY.  41 

"  I  will  do  that  willingly." 

The  handkerchief  was  next  examined.  But  it 
seemed  to  be  without  markings  of  any  kind,  and 
was  soon  returned  to  the  jewel  case  along  with 
the  ring. 

"  Now  tell  me  how  Marion  came  to  tell  you  of 
the  past,"  said  Mrs.  Ruthven,  after  putting  the 
jewel  case  away. 

"  I  made  her  tell  me  the  truth,"  said  Jack. 

"  But  how  did  you  suspect  this  at  first  ?  " 

"  Because  of  something  St.  John  said  to  Darcy 
Gilbert." 

"What  did  he  say?" 

"  Oh,  it  doesn't  matter  much — now,  mother. 
He  told  Darcy  I  wasn't  your  son." 

"What  else  did  he  say?" 

"  Oh,  I  think  I  had  better  hot  say." 

"  But  you  must  tell  me,  Jack;  I  insist  upon 
knowing." 

"  He  told  Darcy  that  I  was  a  nobody,  and  that 
I  would  have  to  go  away  some  day." 

At  these  words  Mrs.  Ruthven's  face  flushed 
angrily. 

"  St.  John  is  taking  too  much  upon  his  shoul- 
ders," she  cried.     "  This  is  no  business  of  his." 

"  I  may  be  a  nobody,  but,  but " — Jack  stam- 
mered— "  if  he  says  anything  to  me,  I  am  afraid 
there  will  be  a  row." 


4*  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  He  shall  not  say  anything  to  you.  I  will 
speak  to  him  about  this.     Leave  it  all  to  me." 

"  But  he  shall  not  insult  me,"  said  Jack  sturdily. 

Marion  had  left  the  apartment,  to  change  her 
clothing,  so  she  did  not  hear  what  was  said  about 
St.  John.  A  few  words  more  on  the  subject 
passed  between  the  lady  of  the  plantation  and  the 
youth,  and  then  the  talk  shifted  back  to  Jack's 
past. 

"  Some  day  I  am  going  to  find  out  who  I  am," 
said  the  boy.  "  There  must  be  some  way  to  do 
this." 

"  Are  you  then  so  anxious  to  leave  me,  Jack?  " 
asked  Mrs.  Ruthven,  and  the  tears  sprang  into  her 
eyes. 

"  No,  no,  mother;  I  will  not  leave  you  so  long 
as  you  wish  me  to  stay !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  It 
isn't  that.  But  this  mystery  of  the  past  must  be 
solved." 

"  Well,  I  will  help  you  all  I  can.  But  do  not 
hope  for  too  much,  my  boy,  or  you  may  be 
disappointed,"  and  then  she  embraced  him 
again. 

Running  up  to  his  bedroom,  Jack  quickly 
changed  the  suit  which  had  been  soaked  the 
night  before  for  a  better  one,  and  then  came  below 
again.  He  hardly  knew  what  to  do  with  himself. 
The  news  had  set  his  head  in  a  whirl.     At  last  he 


MRS.   RUTHVEN'S  STORY.  43 

decided  to  go  out  riding  on  a  pony  Mrs.  Ruthven 
had  given  him  a  few  weeks  before. 

The  pony  was  soon  saddled  by  one  of  the  stable 
hands,  and  Jack  set  off  on  a  level  road  running  be- 
tween the  two  Ruthven  plantations.  At  first  he 
thought  to  ask  Marion  to  accompany  him,  but 
then  decided  that  he  was  in  no  humor  to  have  any- 
body along. 

"  I  must  think  this  out  by  myself,"  was  the  way 
he  reasoned,  and  set  off  at  a  brisk  pace  under  the 
wide-spreading  trees. 

He  was  less  than  quarter  of  a  mile  away  from 
home  when  he  came  face  to  face  with  St.  John, 
who  was  returning  from  his  visit  to  Old  Ben's 
boathouse. 

As  the  two  riders  approached  each  other,  the 
young  man  glared  darkly  at  our  hero. 

"  Hullo,  where  are  you  bound  ?  "  he  demanded 
sharply. 

"  I  don't  think  that  is  any  of  your  business,  St. 
John,"  replied  Jack,  who  was  just  then  in  no  hu- 
mor to  be  polite. 

"  Humph !  you  needn't  get  on  your  high  horsei 
about  it !  " 

"  I  am  not  on  a  high  horse,  only  on  a  small 
pony." 

"  Don't  joke  me,  Jack— I  don't  like  it" 
"  As  you  please,  St.  John." 


44  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  What's   got  into   you   this   morning? "   de- 
manded the  young  man  curiously. 

"  Well,  if  you  want  to  know,  I  don't  like  the 
way  you  have  been  talking  about  me." 

"  Oho !  so  that  is  how  the  wind  blows." 

"  You  have  taken  the  pains  to  call  me  a  no- 
body," went  on  Jack  hotly. 

"I  told  the  truth,  didn't  I?" 

"  I  consider  myself  just  as  good  as  you,  St. 
John  Ruthven." 

"  Do  you  indeed !  "  sneered  the  spendthrift. 

"  I  do  indeed,  and  in  the  future  I  will  thank  you 
to  be  more  careful  of  what  you  say  about  me." 

"  I  have  a  right  to  tell  the  truth  to  anybody  I 
please." 

"  I  don't  deny  that.  But  I  consider  my  blood 
just  as  good  as  yours." 

"Do  you?     I  don't." 

"  Your  opinion  isn't  worth  anything  to  me." 

"  Humph !  still  riding  a  high  horse,  I  see.  Let 
me  tell  you,  you  are  not  half  as  good  as  a  Ruthven, 
and  never  will  be.  How  my  aunt  could  take  you 
in  is  a  mystery  to  me." 

"  She  is  not  as  hard-hearted  as  you  are." 

"  She  is  very  foolish." 

"  She  is  my  foster  mother,  and  I'll  thank  you 
to  speak  respectfully  of  her,"  cried  Jack,  his  eyes 
flashing. 


MRS.   RUTHVEN'S  STORY.  45 

"  Of  course  you'll  stick  by  her — as  long  as  she'll 
let  you.     You  have  a  nice  ax  to  grind." 

"  I  don't  understand  your  last  words." 

"  She  owns  considerable  property,  and  you  will 
try  to  get  a  big  share  of  it  for  yourself,  when  she 
dies." 

"  I  have  never  given  her  property  a  thought. 
I  want  only  what  is  rightfully  coming  to  me." 

"  There  is  nothing  coming  to  you  by  right. 
The  property  ought  to  go  to  Marion  and  the  other 
Ruthvens." 

"  By  other  Ruthvens  I  suppose  you  mean  your- 
self." 

"  I  am  one  of  them." 

"  Are  you  so  anxious  to  get  hold  of  my  aunt's 
plantation  ?  " 

"  I  don't  want  to  see  my  aunt  waste  it  on  such 
a  low  upstart  as  you !  " 

Jack's  eyes  flashed  lire,  and  riding  close  to  St. 
John  he  held  up  his  little  riding  whip. 

"  You  shan't  call  me  an  upstart ! "  he  ejacu- 
lated. "  Take  it  back,  or  I'll  hit  you  with 
this!" 

"  You  won't  dare  to  touch  me !  "  howled  St. 
John  in  a  rage.  "  You  are  an  upstart,  and  worse, 
to  my  way  of  thinking." 

Scarcely  had  the  words  left  his  lips  when  Jack 
brought  down  the  riding  whip  across  the  young 


46  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

man's  shoulders  and  neck,  leaving  a  livid  red  mark 
behind. 

"  Oh!  "  howled  the  spendthrift,  and  gave  a  jerk 
backward  on  the  reins,  which  brought  his  horse 
up  on  his  hind  legs.  "  How  dare  you !  I'll — I'll 
kill  you  for  that !  " 

"  Do  you  take  it  back  or  not?  "  went  on  Jack, 
raising  the  whip  again. 

Instead  of  replying  St.  John  reached  over  to  hit 
the  youth  with  his  own  whip.  But  Jack  dodged, 
and  then  struck  out  a  second  time.  The  blow 
landed  upon  St.  John's  hand,  and  he  jerked  back 
quickly.  The  movement  scared  the  horse,  and 
the  animal  plunged  so  violently  that  the  rider  was 
thrown  from  the  saddle  into  some  nearby  bushes. 
Then  the  horse  galloped  away,  leaving  St.  John  to 
his  fate. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A    SETBACK    FOR    ST.    JOHN. 

"  Now  see  what  you  have  done! "  roared  St 
John,  as  soon  as  he  could  scramble  from  the 
bushes, 

His  face  was  scratched  in  several  places  and  his 
coat  was  torn  at  one  elbow. 

"  It  was  your  fault  as  much  as  mine/'  retorted 
Jack. 

"  No  such  thing.  You  had  ho  right  to  pitch 
into  me." 

"  And  you  had  no  right  to  call  me  names." 

"  My  horse  has  run  away,"  stormed  the  young 
man. 

"  So  I  see." 

"  If  he  is  lost  or  hurt  you'll  be  responsible." 

"  He  is  running  toward  home.  I  reckon  he'll 
be  all  right." 

"What  am  I  to  do?" 

"  That's  your  lookout." 

"  Get  down  and  let  me  ride  your  pony  home." 

"  I  will  do  no  such  thing !  "  cried  Jack.  The 
little  steed  was  very  dear  to  him. 

47 


48  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Do  you  expect  me  to  walk  ?  " 

"  You  can  suit  yourself  about  that,  St.  John. 
Certainly  I  shan't  carry  you,"  and  Jack  began  to 
move  off. 

"  Stop !  don't  leave  me  like  this." 

"  You  are  not  much  hurt.  Do  you  want  to  con- 
tinue the  fight?" 

"  I  don't  calculate  to  fight  a  mere  boy  like  you. 
Some  day  I'll  give  you  a  good  dressing  down  for 
your  impudence." 

"  All  right;  when  that  time  comes,  I'll  be  ready 
for  you,"  returned  Jack  coolly,  and  without  fur- 
ther words  he  rode  away. 

Standing  in  the  middle  of  the  road,  St.  John 
Ruthven  shook  his  fist  after  the  youth. 

"I  hate  you!"  he  muttered  fiercely.  "And 
I'll  not  allow  you  to  come  between  me  and  my 
aunt's  property,  remember  that ! "  But  the 
words  did  not  reach  Jack,  nor  were  they  intended 
for  his  ears. 

There  was  a  spring  of  water  not  far  away,  and 
going  to  this  St.  John  washed  his  face  and  his 
hands.  Then  he  combed  his  hair  with  a  pocket- 
comb  he  carried,  and  brushed  his  clothing  as  best 
he  could.  He  was  more  hurt  mentally  than 
physically,  and  inwardly  boiled  to  get  even  with 
our  hero. 

Left  to  himself,  he  hardly  knew  what  to  do. 


A   SETBACK  FOR   ST.  JOHN.  49 

He  was  satisfied  that  his  horse  would  go  home  as 
Jack  had  said,  but  he  was  in  no  humor  to  follow 
the  animal. 

"  I've  a  good  mind  to  call  on  Aunt  Alice  and  tell 
her  what  a  viper  he  is,"  he  said  to  himself.  "  Per- 
haps I  can  get  her  to  think  less  of  him  than  she 
does — and  that  will  be  something  gained." 

He.  walked  slowly  toward  the  plantation. 
When  he  came  within  sight  of  the  garden  he  saw 
Marion  in  a  summerhouse,  arranging  a  bouquet 
of  flowers  which  she  had  just  cut. 

The  sight  of  his  cousin  put  his  heart  in  a  flutter 
and  made  him  think  of  the  talk  he  had  had  with 
his  mother.  Why  should  he  not  propose  to  her 
at  once?  The  sooner  the  better,  to  his  way  of 
thinking.  That  Marion  might  refuse  him  hardly 
entered  his  head.  Was  he  not  the  best  "  catch  " 
in  that  neighborhood  ? 

"How  do  you  do,  Marion?"  he  said,  as  he 
strode  up  to  the  summerhouse. 

"Why,  St.  John,  is  that  you?"  returned  the 
girl.     "  I  did  not  see  you  riding  up." 

"  I  came  on  foot,"  he  went  on,  as  he  came  in 
and  threw  himself  on  a  bench.     "  It's  warm,  too." 

"  It  is  warm.  Shall  I  send  for  some  refresh- 
ments? " 

"  No,  don't  bother  just  now,  Marion.  I  came 
over  to  see  you  alone." 


$o  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Alone  ?  "  she  said  in  some  surprise. 

"  Yes,  alone,  Marion.  I  have  something  very 
important  to  say  to  you." 

She  did  not  answer,  but  turned  away  to  fix  the 
bouquet. 

"  Can  you  guess  what  I  wish  to  say?  "  he  went 
on  awkwardly. 

"  I  haven't  the  remotest  idea,  Cousin  St.  John." 

"  I  want  to  tell  you  how  much  I  love  you, 
Cousin  Marion." 

"Oh!" 

"  Don't  think  that  I  speak  from  sudden  impulse. 
I  have  loved  you  for  years,  but  I  wished  to  wait 
until  you  were  old  enough  to  listen  to  me." 

"  And  you  think  I  am  old  enough  now  ?  "  she 
said,  with  a  faint  smile.  "  Mamma  thinks  me 
quite  a  girl  still." 

"  You  are  old  enough  to  marry,  if  you  wish, 
Marion." 

"  Marry?  "  She  laughed  outright.  "  Oh,  St. 
John,  don't  say  that.  Why,  I  don't  intend  to 
marry  in  a  long,  long  time — if  at  all." 

His  face  fell,  and  he  bit  his  lip.  Certainly  this 
was  not  the  answer  he  had  expected. 

"But  I  want  you!"  he  burst  out,  still  more 
awkwardly.  "  I  want  to — to  protect  you  from — ■ 
er — from  Jack." 

"  Protect  me  from  Jack?  " 


A    SETBACK  FOR  ST.  JOHN.  51 

-  Yes,  Marion.  You  know  what  he  is,  a  mere 
nobody." 

"  Jack  is  my  brother." 

"  He  is  not,  and  you  know  it." 

"  He  is  the  same  as  if  he  were  my  brother,  St. 
John." 

"  Again  I  say  he  is  not.  He  is  a  mere  upstart, 
and  he  will  prove  a  snake  in  the  grass  unless  you 
watch  him.  Your  mother  made  a  big  mistake 
when  she  adopted  him." 

"  There  may  be  two  opinions  upon  that  point." 

"  He  knows  your  mother  is  rich.  Mark  my 
word,  he  will  do  all  he  can,  sooner  or  later,  to  get 
her  property  away  from  her." 

"  I  will  not  believe  evil  of  Jack." 

"  You  evidently  think  more  of  him  than  you 
do  of  me!  "  sneered  the  spendthrift,  seeing  that 
he  was  making  no  headway  in  his  suit. 

"  I  do  not  deny  that  I  think  the  world  and  all  of 
Jack.  He  is  my  brother  in  heart,  if  not  in  blood 
— and  I  will  thank  you  to  remember  that  after 
this,"  went  on  Marion  in  a  decided  tone. 

"  You  will  learn  of  your  mistake  some  time — 
perhaps  when  it  is  too  late." 

"  Jack  is  true  to  the  core,  and  as  brave  as  he  is 
true.  Why,  he  would  go  to  the  war  if  mamma 
would  give  her  consent." 

At  this  St.  John  Ruthven  winced. 


52  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

«  Well — er — I  would  go  myself  if  my  mother 
did  not  need  me  at  home,"  he  stammered.  "  She 
must  have  somebody  to  look  after  the  plantation. 
We  can't  trust  the  niggers." 

■■"  Many  men  have  gone  to  the  front  and  allowed 
their  plantations  to  take  care  of  themselves. 
They  place  the  honor  of  their  glorious  country 
over  everything  else." 

"  Well,  my  mother  will  not  allow  me  to  go— she 
has  positively  forbidden  it,"  insisted  St.  John, 
anxious  to  clear  his  character. 

This  statement  was  untrue;  he  had  never  spoken 
to  his  mother  on  the  subject,  thinking  she  might 
urge  him  to  go  to  the  front.  His  plea  that  he 
must  look  after  the  plantation  was  entirely  of  his 
own  making. 

"  Supposing  we  should  lose  in  this  struggle— 
what  will  become  of  your  plantation  then?  " 
At  this  St.  John  grew  pale. 
"  I— I  hardly  think  we  will  lose,"  he  stammered. 
"  We  have  plenty  of  soldiers." 

"  But  not  as  many  as  the  North  has.  General 
Lee  could  use  fifty  thousand  more  men,  if  he  could 
get  them." 

"Well,  I  shall  go  to  the  front  when  I  am 
actually  needed,  Marion;  you  can  take  my  word 
on  that.  But  won't  you  listen  to  what  I  have  told 
you  about  my  feeling  for  you?  " 


A    SETBACK  FOR   ST.  JOHN.  53 

"  No,  St.  John ;  I  am  too  young  to  fall  in  love 
with  anybody.  I  shall  at  least  wait  until  this 
cruel  war  is  over." 

"But  I  can  hope?" 

She  shook  her  head.  Then  she  picked  up  her 
bouquet. 

"  Will  you  come  up  to  the  house  with  me?  " 

"  Not  now,  Marion.  Give  my  respects  to  my 
aunt  and  tell  her  I  will  call  in  a  day  or  two  again. 
And,  by  the  way,  Marion,  don't  let  her  think  hard 
of  me  because  of  Jack.  I  desire  only  to  see  to  it 
that  the  boy  does  not  do  you  mischief." 

"  As  I  said  before,  I  will  listen  to  nothing 
against  dear  Jack,  so  there!  "  cried  Marion,  and 
stamping  her  foot,  she  hurried  toward  the  house. 

St.  John  Ruthven  watched  her  out  of  sight,  then 
turned  and  stalked  off  toward  the  roadway  lead- 
ing to  his  home. 

"She  evidently  does  not  love  me  as  I  thought," 
he  muttered  to  himself.  "  And  I  made  a  mess  of 
it  by  speaking  ill  of  Jack.  Confound  the  luck! 
what  had  I  best  do  now  ?  I  wish  I  could  get  that 
boy  out  of  the  way  altogether,  I  really  do." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE    HOME    GUARDS    OF    OLDVILLE. 

The  week  to  follow  the  events  recorded  in  the 
last  chapter  was  a  trying  one  for  the  inhabitants 
of  Oldville,  as  the  district  around  the  Ruthvens' 
plantation  was  called. 

The  army  of  the  North  had  pressed  the  army  of 
the  South  back  steadily  day  after  day,  until  the 
Confederates  were  encamped  less  than  four  miles 
away  from  Jack's  home.  For  two  days  the  can- 
non-firing could  be  distinctly  heard,  and  the 
women  folks  were  filled  with  dread,  thinking  the 
invaders  from  the  North  were  about  to  swoop 
down  upon  their  homes  and  pillage  them. 

"  Oh,  Jack !  do  you  think  they  will  come  here?  " 
was  the  question  Marion  asked  at  least  a  dozen 
times. 

"  They  had  better  not,"  was  the  sturdy  reply. 
"  If  they  do,  they  will  find  that  even  a  boy  can 
fight." 

"  But  you  could  do  nothing  against  an  army, 
Jack." 

5* 


THE  HOME   GUARDS  OF  OLDVILLE.  55 

"  Perhaps  not.  But  I'll  do  what  I  can  to  pro- 
tect you  and  mother." 

"  Old  Ben  told  me  that  you  and  Darcy  Gilbert 
were  organizing  a  Home  Guard." 

"  Yes;  we  have  organized  a  company  of  boys. 
We  have  twenty-three  members,  and  I  am  the  cap- 
tain," answered  Jack,  with  just  a  bit  of  pride  in 
his  tones. 

"  Then  you  are  Captain  Jack !  "  exclaimed 
Marion.  "  Let  me  congratulate  you,  captain. 
But  have  you  any  weapons  ?  " 

"  Yes.  I  have  an  old  sword  and  also1  a  pistol, 
and  all  of  the  others  have  pistols  or  guns.  I 
think,  if  we  were  put  to  it,  we  might  do  our  enemy 
some  damage." 

"  No  doubt,  since  I  know  you  and  Darcy  can 
shoot  pretty  straight.  You  ought  to  ask  St.  John 
to  join  the  command." 

"  Not  much,  Marion !  Don't  you  know  that 
St.  John  is  a  coward  at  heart,  even  if  he  is  a 
man  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  know  it.  One  of  the  colored  help  on 
his  plantation  told  Old  Ben  that  the  cannon-firing 
so  close  at.  hand  made  him  so  uneasy  he  couldn't 
eat  or  sleep." 

"  Is  it  possible !  Now  the  cannon-firing  simply 
makes  me  crazy  to  be  at  the  front,  to  see  what  is 
going  on,  and  to  take  part." 


56  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Then  you  must  be  a  born  soldier,  Jack." 
Marion  heaved  a  sigh.  "  Oh,  I  wish  this  war 
was  over !  Why  must  the  men  of  the  South  and 
the  North  kill  each  other  ?  " 

"  The  world  has  always  had  wars  and  always 
will,  I  reckon.  Do  you  want  to  come  to  town 
and  see  us  drill  ?  " 

"Will  it  be  safe?" 

"  I  think  so,  Marion.  I  don't  believe  the  enemy 
are  coming  here  very  soon." 

Soon  after  this  Jack  and  Marion  were  on  their 
way  to  Oldville,  a  sleepy  town  containing  two 
general  stores,  a  tavern,  and  a  blacksmith  shop. 

In  front  of  the  tavern  was  a  large  green,  and 
here  a  number  of  boys  were  playing  various 
games. 

"  Hurrah,  here  comes  Captain  Jack !  "  was  the 
cry,  when  our  hero  appeared. 

"Are  we  to  drill  to-day?"  questioned  Darcy 
Gilbert,  as  he  ran  up  and  nodded  to  Marion. 

"  If  you  will,"  said  Jack.  His  new  honors  had 
not  made  him  in  the  least  dictatorial. 

"  All  right,"  returned  Darcy. 

He  was  first  lieutenant  of  the  company,  which 
had  styled  itself  the  Oldville  Home  Guard,  and 
he  quickly  summoned  the  young  soldiers  together. 

All  had  uniforms,  made  of  regular  home  suits 
with  stripes  of  white  sewed  down  the  trouser-legs 


THE  HOME   GUARDS  OF  OLDVILLE.  57 

and  around  the  coat-sleeves.  The  boys  with 
pistols  were  placed  in  the  front  rank,  those  with 
guns  in  the  second  rank.  One  lad  had  a  drum  and 
another  a  fife. 

"  Company,  attention!  "  ordered  Jack,  coming 
to  the  front  with  drawn  sword,  and  the  boys  drew 
up  in  straight  rows  across  the  green.  The  drum 
rattled,  and  presently  quite  a  crowd  of  old  men, 
women,  and  children  collected  to  see  the  drill. 

"  Carry — arms!  "  went  on  Jack,  and  the  guns 
came  to  a  carry,  and  likewise  the  pistols.  "  Pre- 
sent —  arms !  Shoulder  —  arms !  Forward  — 
march !  " 

"  Dum !  dum !  dum,  dum,  dum !  "  went  the 
drummer,  and  off  marched  the  company  to  the  end 
of  the  green. 

"  Right — wheel !  "  came  the  next  command, 
and  the  boys  wheeled  with  the  order  of  a  veteran 
body,  for  each  was  enthusiastic  to  do  his  best. 
"  Forward !  "  and  they  marched  on  again,  and  so 
the  marching  kept  up  until  the  square  had  been 
covered  several  times. 

"  Halt !  "  Thus  the  commanding  went  on. 
"Load!     Take  aim!     Fire!" 

And  twenty-odd  gun  and  pistol  hammers  came 
'down  with  a  sharp  clicking,  for  none  of  the 
Weapons  were  loaded,  the  boys  saving  their 
powder  and  ball  until  such  time  as  they  might 


58  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

actually  be  needed.  A  short  parade  around  the 
main  streets  followed,  and  then  Jack  dismissed 
the  company. 

"  It  was  splendid !  "  cried  Marion  enthusiastic- 
ally. "I  declare,  Jack,  how  did  you  ever  get 
them  drilled  so  nicely  ?  " 

"  Oh !  the  fellows  take  to  it  naturally.  Besides, 
Darcy  did  as  much  as  I  did." 

"  No,  Jack  is  our  chief  drillmaster,"  put  in 
Darcy.  "  He  takes  to  soldiering  as  a  duck  takes 
to  a  pond." 

"  It's  wonderful.  Still,  I  hope  you  never  have 
to  go  to  war,"  concluded  Marion. 

"  If  we  do,  we'll  try  to  give  a  good  account 
of  ourselves,"  said  Darcy,  as  Marion  walked 
away. 

"  Indeed  we  will !  "  cried  our  hero. 
Now  she  was  in  town  Marion  concluded  to  do 
some  shopping,  and  accordingly  made  her  way  to 
one  of  the  general  stores,  a  place  kept  by  Lemuel 
Blackwood,  one  of  the  oldest  merchants  in  that 
part  of  the  State. 

Blackwood's  store  was  usually  crowded  with 
goods  of  every  description,  but  the  war  had  all 
but  wrecked  his  trade,  and  his  stock  was  scanty 
and  shop-worn. 

"  How  do  you  do,  Marion  ?  "  said  he,  when  the 
girl  entered.     He  had  known  her  from  childhood. 


TffE  HOME   GUARDS  OF  OLDVILLE.  59 

"How  do  you  do,  Mr.  Blackwood?"  she  re- 
turned. 

"  Pretty  fairly,  for  an  old  man,  Marion.  That 
is,  so  far  as  my  health  goes.  Business  is  very 
poor,  though." 

"  The  war  has  taken  the  people's  money." 

"  Yes,  yes !  It  is  awful !  Sometimes  I  think 
it  will  never  end." 

"  Do  you  think  we  will  win,  Mr.  Blackwood?  " 

At  this  the  old  man  shook  his  head  slowly. 

"  I  used  to  hope  so,  Marion.  But  now — the 
most  of  our  best  soldiers  have  been  shot  down. 
The  North  can  get  new  recruits,  but  we  don't 
seem  to  have  many  more  men  to  go  to  the  front." 

"  Have  you  any  more  calico  like  that  which  I 
got  a  few  weeks  ago?  " 

"  No,  I  can't  get  a  single  piece,  no  matter  how 
hard  I  try." 

"  What  have  you  in  plain  dress  goods  ?  " 

"  Nothing  but  what  I  showed  you  before.  I 
tried  to  get  something  new  last  week,  but  the 
wholesale  houses  had  nothing,  and  couldn't  say 
when  anything  new  would  come  in.  Their  busi- 
ness has  been  wrecked,  just  as  mine  has  been. 
Two  of  the  best  houses  I  used  to  do  business  with 
are  bankrupt." 

"  Then  show  me  what  you  have  again,  please. 
Mamma  and  I  must  have  something,  even  if  it  is 


60  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

out  of  date.  We'll  wear  it  for  the  honor  of  the 
South." 

At  this  old  Mr.  Blackwood  smiled.  "  You  are 
a  loyal  girl,  Marion.  I  like  to  see  it  in  a  person, 
especially  in  one  who  is  young.  It  shows  the 
right  training." 

"  But  supposing  I  was  a  Northerner,"  said 
Marion,  with  a  sly  twinkle  in  her  eye. 

"  It  would  make  no  difference  in  my  opinion." 

"  You  believe  people  should  be  true  to  their  con- 
victions ?  " 

"  Yes,  no  matter  what  side  they  stand  upon. 
We  think  we  are  right,  and  are  willing  to  fight  for 
our  opinions.  They  think  they  are  right,  and  they 
are  willing  to  fight,  too." 

"But  who  is  right?" 

Mr.  Blackwood  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  Let 
us  trust  that  God  will  bring  this  difficulty  to  a 
satisfactory  conclusion.  If  we  lose  in  this  war, 
my  one  hope  is  that  the  South  will  not  lose  every- 
thing— that  the  North  will  be  generous." 

"  But  they  say  Grant  is  a  stubborn  general. 
That  he  will  demand  everything  of  General  Lee." 

"  I  cannot  believe  it.  I  have  a  cousin  who 
knew  Grant,  and  he  said  Grant  was  not  so  hard- 
hearted as  painted." 

"  Some  say  the  South,  if  defeated,  will  be  held 
in  virtual  slavery  by  the  North." 


THE  HOME   GUARDS  OF  OLDVILLE.  6 1 

"  Yes,  some  hot-heads  say  everything.  I  had 
such  a  fellow  in  here  yesterday;  a  surgeon  in  our 
army,  who  gave  his  name  as  Dr.  Mackey.  He 
was  ranting  around,  declaring  that,  if  we  lost,  the 
Northern  soldiers  would  march  clear  through  to 
New  Orleans  and  loot  and  burn  every  village, 
town,  and  city,  and  that  neither  life  nor  property 
would  be  safe.  His  talk  was  enough  to  scare  a 
timid  person  most  to  death." 

"  A  surgeon  in  our  army,"  said  Marion.  She 
had  been  told  by  Jack  of  the  meeting  on  the 
bridge.     "  What  kind  of  a  looking  man  was  he?  " 

As  well  as  he  could  Mr.  Blackwood  described 
the  individual. 

"  Did  he  seem  to  have  a  finger  on  one  hand 
doubled  up  and  stiff  ?  " 

"  Yes.     Do  you  know  him,  Marion?  " 

"  I  know  of  him.  He  met  Jack  on  a  bridge 
some  days  ago  and  ordered  him  off  as  if  Jack  were 
a  slave." 

"  He  appeared  to  be  as  headstrong  as  he  was 
unreasonable.  I  have  seen  him  around  here  sev- 
eral times,  but  I  cannot  make  out  what  he  is  doing 
here.  He  asked  me  about  the  wreck  on  Hemlock 
Bluff  rocks," 

"  What !  "  and  Marion  showed  her  surprise. 

"  Yes.  He  said  he  had  heard  of  the  wreck  and 
was  curious  to  visit  it." 


62  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  That  was  strange." 

"  I  asked  him  why  he  wished  to  visit  the  wreck, 
but  he  did  not  answer  the  question." 

At  this  point  some  other  customers  came  in 
and  the  conversation  was  changed.  Marion 
bought  what  she  wanted  and  went  out,  and  pres- 
ently joined  Jack  on  the  way  home. 

"  It  was  odd  that  surgeon  should  want  to  visit 
the  wreck,"  was  our  hero's  comment,  after  he 
had  heard  what  the  girl  had  to  say.  "  I  wonder 
if  he  knows  anything  of  the  ship  and  her  passen- 
gers? If  he  does,  I  would  like  to  interview  him, 
uncivil  as  he  is." 


CHAPTER  IX. 

DR.  MACKEY   INVESTIGATES. 

A  few  days  later  Old  Ben  was  just  preparing 
to  go  out  in  his  boat  when  a  visitor  appeared  at 
the  boathouse.  The  man  was  clad  in  the  faded 
uniform  of  a  Confederate  surgeon,  and  proved  to 
be  Dr.  Mackey. 

"  Good-mornin',  sah,"  said  Old  Ben  politely,  as 
the  doctor  leaped  from  the  saddle  and  came  for- 
ward. 

"  Good-morning,"  returned  the  surgeon  shortly. 
"  Can  you  supply  me  with  a  glass  of  good  drink- 
ing water?  I  left  my  flask  at  camp,  and  I  am 
dry." 

"  We  has  de  best  ob  watah  heah,  sah,"  returned 
Old  Ben,  and  proceeded  to*  obtain  a  goblet. 
"  Does  yo'  belong  to  de  army?  " 

"  Yes,  I  am  a  surgeon  attached  to  the  Fifth 
Virginia  regiment."  The  visitor  gazed  around 
him  curiously.     "  Is  this  your  boathouse?  " 

"  Kind  o',  sah.  It  belongs  to  de  Ruthven  plan- 
tation.    But  when  my  ole  massa — Heaben  bless 

63 


64  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

his  spirit — sot  me  free,  he  gib  me  de  right  to  use 
de  boathouse  so  long  as  I  pleased.  I  lives  in  yon- 
der cabin  on  de  bluff." 

"  Ah !  then  you  were  one  of  Mr.  Ruthven's 
slaves  ?  " 

"  Colonel  Ruthven,  sah,"  said  the  colored  man, 
with  emphasis  on  the  military  title. 

"He  is  dead?" 

"  Yes,  sah;  killed  at  de  bloody  battle  ob  Gettys- 
burg. He  was  leadin'  a  charge  when  a  bullet 
struck  him  in  de  head." 

"  Too  bad,  truly.  Did  he  leave  much  of  a 
family?" 

"  A  widow,  sah,  an'  two  chillen,  a  boy  an'  a 
girl." 

"  I  see."  The  doctor  drank  the  water  thought- 
fully. "  Did — er — I  mean,  I  think  I  have  seen 
the  two  young  people.  They  don't  seem  to  re- 
semble each  other  very  much." 

"  Well,  you  see,  da  aint  persackly  brother  an' 
sister." 

"  No?  "  and  the  surgeon  raised  his  heavy  eye- 
brows as  if  in  surprise. 

"  No,  sah.  Massah  Jack  is  only  de  'dopted  son 
ob  de  late  colonel." 

"  Ah,  is  that  really  so  ?  A — er — nephew,  per- 
haps?" 

"  No,  he  aint  no  kin  to  de  Ruthvens.     He  was 


DR.    MACKEY  INVESTIGATES.  6$ 

washed  ashoah  from  a  wrack  ten  or  'leben  years 
ago.  I  wouldn't  tell  dis,  only  it  has  become  pub- 
lic property  durin'  de  las'  two  weeks." 

Dr.  Mackey  started  back.  "  Ha !  I  have  found 
the  boy  at  last!  "  he  muttered  to  himself,  as  he 
began  to  walk  the  floor. 

"  What  did  you  say,  sah  ?  " 

"  It's  quite  like  a  romance,  my  man.  I  should 
like  to  hear  more  of  the  boy's-  story." 

"  Dere  aint  much  to  tell,  massah.  It  flowed 
great  guns  durin'  dat  storm.  De  passengers  an' 
crew  was  washed  ashoah  from  de  wrack,  but  de 
only  ones  wot  came  to  de  beach  alive  was  Mas- 
sah Jack  an'  his  poor  dear  mother." 

"  And  the  mother "     The  doctor  paused. 

"  She  only  libed  fa'  two  days.  She  died  up  to 
de  house,  leabin'  de  boy  to  Mrs.  Ruthven.  De 
missus  promised  to  look  after  de  boy  as  her  own 
— an'  she  has  gone  dun  it,  too,  sah." 

"  Then  Mrs.  Ruthven  doesn't  know  whose  son 
he  really  is  ?  " 

"  No,  sah.  De  boy's  mammy  couldn't  tell 
nuffin,  she  was  so  much  hurt." 

"  But  what  of  the  boy's  father?  " 

"  He  was  drowned  wid  de  rest  ob  de  passen- 
gers." 

"  Hard  luck — for  the  boy."  The  surgeon  con- 
tinued to  pace  the  floor. 


66  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  By  the  way,  what  is  your  name?  "  he  asked 
presently. 

"Ben,  sah." 

"  There  is  a  dollar  for  you." 

"  T'ank  yo',  massah;  you  is  a  real  gen'man," 
and  Ben's  face  relaxed  into  a  broad  smile. 

"  You  were  going  out  in  your  boat,  I  believe." 

"  Yes,  massah.  But  if  I  kin  do  anyt'ing  fo* 
yo' " 

"  What  of  this  wreck?  Is  it  the  same  that  one 
can  see  from  the  bluff  ?  " 

"  Yes,  massah,  de  werry  same." 

"  It's  remarkable  that  it  should  survive  so 
long." 

"  Well,  yo'  see,  sah,  de  rocks  am  werry  high, 
so  de  most  ob  de  storms  don't  git  no  chance  at  de 
wrack.  Dat  storm  wot  put  de  boat  up  dar  was 
de  mos'  powerful  dat  I  eber  seen  in  all  my  born 
days." 

"  Is  it  possible  to  board  the  wreck  now?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  sah !  I  was  ober  dar  only  a  few  days 
ago.  De  ship  was  struck  by  lightning  in  dat  las'* 
storm,  but  de  rain  put  out  de  fiah." 

"  I  would  like  to  visit  the  wreck.  I  have  some 
time  to  spare  to-day,  and  I  am  curious  to  see  how 
such  a  big  vessel  looks  when  cast  up  high  and  dry 
on  the  rocks." 

"  I  can  take  yo'  ober,  sah." 


DR.    MACKEY  INVESTIGATES.  67 

"Very  well;  do  so,  and  I'll  give  you  another 
dollar." 

"  I'll  be  ready  in  a  minute,  as  soon  as  I 
gits  my  fishing  tackle  an'  bait  out  of  de  boat, 
sah." 

Ben  hurried  to  his  craft.  As  he  was  lifting  his 
things  out  he  saw  a  man  strolling  near.  The  in- 
dividual proved  to  be  St.  John  Ruthven,  who  had 
come  in  that  direction  in  hope  of  seeing  Marion 
alone. 

"Hullo,  Ben!"  cried  St.  John.  "See  any- 
thing of  Marion  to-day?  " 

"  She  dun  went  out  in  a  boat,  sah," 

"With  Jack?" 

"  Yes,  sah." 

"  What,  after  that  experience  in  the  storm?  " 

"  Yes,  sah." 

"  I  should  think  they  would  be  afraid." 

"  Da  aint  so  afraid  as  some  folks  is,  Massah 
St.  John." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  as  an  insult  to  me,  you 
good-for-nothing  nigger?" 

"  No,  sah.  I  mean  Miss  Marion  an'  Massah 
Jack  are  wery  stout-hearted." 

"  My  aunt  is  foolish  to  let  Marion  go  out  with 
that  boy.     Some  day  Marion  will  be  drowned." 

"  Jack  knows  wot  he  is  doin',  I  rackon,  sah." 

"  You  don't  know  him.      He  is  thoroughly 


68  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

reckless.  I  presume  as  a  nobody  his  life  isn't 
worth  much,  but " 

"  I  rackon  his  life  is  as  sweet  to  him  as  yours  is 
to  yo',  Massah  St.  John." 

"  Can  you  take  me  out  in  a  boat  after  them?  " 

"  Sorry,  sah,  but  I'se  gwine  to  take  dis  gen'man 
out,  sah." 

St.  John  turned  and  saw  Dr.  Mackey  standing 
near,  the  surgeon  having  come  from  the  boat- 
house  to  listen  in  silence  to  the  conversation  which 
was  taking  place. 

He  had  met  the  doctor  at  the  Oldville  tavern 
the  evening  before,  and  bowed  stiffly. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  disappoint  you,  Mr.  Ruthven," 
said  the  doctor;  "but  I  am  curious  to  visit  the 
old  wreck  on  Hemlock  Bluff  rocks.  Perhaps  this 
man  has  another  boat " 

"  Oh,  it  doesn't  matter,  Dr.  Mackey,"  answered 
St.  John. 

"  You  are  evidently  a  cousin  to  Miss  Marion 
Ruthven." 

"  I  am." 

"  And  a  cousin  to  the  lad  named  Jack." 

"  He  is  no  cousin  of  mine — even  though  my 
aunt  has  foolishly  treated  him  as  her  son." 

"Why  foolishly?" 

"  He  is  a  waif  of  the  sea — cast  up  from  that 
wreck;  yet  my  aunt  presents  him  to  the  world 


DR.   MACKEY  INVESTIGATES.  69 

as  a  Ruth ven — when  he  may  be  of  very  low 
birth." 

"  Evidently  you  are  proud  of  your  name." 

"  I  am  proud,  sir,  for  there  is  no  family  in 
South  Carolina  which  bears  a  better  name.  We 
are  descended  from  St.  George  Ruthven,  one  of 
the  knights  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  reign." 

"  I  congratulate  you,  sir,  and  I  now  understand 
how  this  matter  grates  upon  you.  But  permit  me 
to  state,  the  boy  may  prove  to  be  of  as  high  birth 
as  yourself." 

"What,  Jack?     Never!" 

"  Do  not  say  that.  Strange  things  have  hap- 
pened in  this  world." 

"  But  he  looks  as  if  he  came  of  low  birth,"  re- 
sponded St.  John  haughtily. 

"  There  I  must  disagree  with  you,  Mr.  Ruth- 
ven." 

"  Dat's  de  talk !  "  muttered  Old  Ben,  as  he  eyed 
St.  John  darkly.  "  Massah  Jack's  as  good  as 
dat  coward  any  day !  " 

"  As  you  please,  doctor;  but  I  shall  hold  to  my 
opinion." 

Dr.  Mackey  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  You  have  that  right.  Come,  Ben,  we  will  be 
on  the  way.  Mr.  Ruthven,  allow  me  to  bid  you 
good-day,"  and  the  doctor  bowed  stiffly. 

"  Good-day,"  was  the  curt  response. 


70  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

Soon  the  surgeon  and  Old  Ben  were  in  the 
boat,  and  the  negro  was  rowing  swiftly  in  the 
direction  of  the  wreck.  St.  John  walked  up  the 
shore,  but  presently  turned  to  view  the  doctor 
from  a  distance. 

"  He  talks  as  if  he  knew  a  thing  or  two,"  mut- 
tered the  spendthrift  to  himself.  "  Can  it  be  pos- 
sible that  he  knows  something  of  the  past,  and  is 
going  out  to  the  wreck  for  a  purpose?  " 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE    PAPERS    ON  THE    WRECK. 

As  the  waters  of  the  bay  were  quiet,  it  did  not 
take  Ben  long  to  row  Dr.  Mackey  over  to  the 
wreck  on  the  rocks. 

"  Be  careful  how  you  steps  out,  sah,"  said  the 
colored  man.  "  De  rocks  am  slippery,  an'  you  kin 
twist  an  ankle  widout  half  tryin',  sah." 

"  I  will  be  careful,  Ben.    So  this  is  the  wreck  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sah." 

"  I  presume  all  that  was  movable  in  the  ship  has 
been  carried  off?  " 

"  Long  ago,  sah." 

"  But  the  inside  of  the  ship  itself  was  not  torn 
out?" 

"  No,  sah.  De  folks  around  yeah  is  too  afraid 
ob  ghosteses  fo'  dat." 

"  Ah,  yes !  so  I  heard — at  least,  I  would  suppose 
so,"  replied  the  doctor,  in  some  confusion.  "  By 
the  way,  you  need  not  remain  here.  I  will  visit 
the  wreck  alone.  You  can  come  back  in  an  hour 
or  so." 

to 


72  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Wery  well,  massah." 

"  But  don't  forget  to  come  back.  I  don't  want 
to  be  left  here  all  night." 

"  Don't  worry,  sah;  I'll  be  back  fo'  dat  dollah, 
sah,"  and  Ben  grinned, 

"Oh,  yes!  I  forgot  about  the  dollar.  Well, 
you  shall  have  it  when  you  take  me  back  to  shore." 

The  doctor  walked  slowly  toward  the  wreck, 
glancing  back  several  times  to  see  if  Old  Ben  was 
following  him. 

The  colored  man  rowed  away  in  a  thoughtful 
mood. 

"  Somet'ing  is  on  dat  man's  mind,  suah ! "  he 
muttered  to  himself.  "  He's  gwine  ter  do  some- 
mg. 

With  difficulty  the  surgeon  climbed  up  to  the 
deck  of  the  wreck.  A  desolate  spectacle  presented 
itself.     Everything  was  charred  by  the  fire. 

"  Truly  a  nice  place  to  come  to,"  said  the  man 
to  himself.  "  Now,  supposing  this  thing  turns 
out  a  wild-goose  chase,  after  all?  Let  me  see, 
the  stateroom  was  No.  15.  I  wonder  if  I  can  still 
locate  it?  " 

With  caution  he  descended  the  companion 
way  and  entered  the  main  cabin  of  the  stranded 
vessel.  Here  he  drew  from  his  pocket  a  candle 
and  lit  it. 

He  walked  slowly  toward  the  side  of  the  cabin 


THE  PAPERS  ON   THE    WRECK.  73 

until  he  reached  a  stateroom  bearing  the  number 
7  upon  the  door. 

"  Seven,"  he  murmured.  "  And  the  second 
from  this  is  eleven.  That  shows  the  numbers  on 
this  side  are  all  odd.  The  next  must  be  thirteen, 
and  the  next  fifteen." 

He  held  the  candle  to  the  door,  but  the  number 
plate  was  gone.  Without  hesitation  he  pushed 
upon  the  door,  which  was  already  partly  open.  It 
fell  back,  exposing  the  interior  of  the  stateroom, 
now  bare  of  all  things  movable,  and  covered  with 
dust  and  cobwebs. 

"  A  dirty  job  this,"  he  murmured,  and  set  the 
candle  down  upon  a  beam  running  along  the  side 
of  a  wall.  He  gazed  around  the  stateroom  curi- 
ously, as  if  hardly  knowing  what  to  do  next. 

"  The  little  closet  was  set  in  the  wall  at  the  foot 
of  the  bed.  Now  which  was  the  foot  of  the  bed? 
I'll  try  both  ends."  He  did  so,  tapping  on  the 
woodwork  with  his  knuckles.  Presently  he 
found  a  hole  where  there  had  once  been  a  small 
knob. 

"  The  closet,  sure  enough !  "  he  cried,  and  his 
face  took  on  a  new  interest.  "  Now  where  is  that 
door-knob  ?  " 

He  hunted  on  the  floor,  but  no  knob  came  to 
view.  But  a  bent  nail  was  handy,  and  this  he  in- 
serted into  the  hole  sideways,  and  pulled  with  all 


74  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

his  force.  There  was  a  slight  creak,  and  a  small 
door  came  open,  revealing  a  dark  closet  about  a 
foot  square  and  equally  deep. 

If  the  room  was  dirty  the  closet  was  more  so, 
for  a  crack  at  the  top  had  let  in  both  dirt  and 
water,  and  at  first  he  could  see  nothing  but  a  solid 
cake  of  dirt  before  him.  Digging  into  this,  he 
presently  uncovered  a  heavy  tin  box,  painted 
black. 

"Eureka!  the  box  at  last!"  he  cried,  in  a 
tone  full  of  pleasure.  "  I  am  the  lucky  one, 
after  all!" 

He  brought  the  tin  box  forth  and  brushed  it  off. 
There  was  a  little  padlock  in  front,  and  this  was 
locked.  Bringing  a  bunch  of  keys  from  his 
pocket,  he  began  to  try  them,  one  after  another. 
At  last  he  found  one  to  fit,  and  opened  the  box. 

"  The  papers  at  last !  "  he  murmured,  and  his 
eyes  gleamed  with  expectation.  "  Let  me  see 
what  there  is."  He  turned  them  over.  "  The 
marriage  certificate  for  one,  and  letters  from  his 
father  about  that  property.  And  other  letters 
from  her  folks — all  here,  and  j*ust  what  I  wanted." 
He  shoved  the  documents  back  into  the  box. 
"  The  fortune  is  mine!  " 

Returning  to  the  closet  he  cleaned  it  out  thor- 
oughly, to  learn  if  it  contained  anything  more  of 
value.     But  there  was  nothing  more  there,  and 


THE  PAPERS  ON   THE    WRECK.  75 

presently  he  blew  out  the  candle,  hid  the  tin  box 
under  his  coat,  and  returned  to  the  deck. 

Ben  was  rowing  not  far  away  and  saw  the  doc- 
tor wave  his  hand. 

"  Is  yo'  ready,  massah?  "  he  called  out. 

"  Yes,  Ben." 

The  colored  man  said  no  more,  but  rowed  in- 
shore, and  in  the  meantime  the  doctor  hurried 
down  to  meet  him. 

"Did  you  find  any  gold,  massah?"  asked  the 
colored  man,  his  white  teeth  gleaming. 

"  Gold !  Why,  you  foolish  nigger,  what  chance 
is  there  of  finding  gold  on  a  wreck  over  ten  years 
old?  The  best  thing  you  can  do  is  to  break 
the  boat  to  pieces  and  take  the  wood  ashore  for 
fuel." 

"  But  de  ghosteses,  massah !  Besides,  Mrs. 
Ruthven  wouldn't  let  us  touch  dat  wrack  nohow." 

"  On  account  of  the  boy,  I  suppose." 

"  Yes,  massah." 

"  To  tell  the  truth,  my  man,  I  have  now  as  much 
interest  in  that  ship  as  has  that  boy  or  Mrs.  Ruth- 
ven. It  brings  back  an  exciting  passage  in  my 
life.  My  visit  to  the  wreck  was  made  to  satisfy 
me  concerning  several  important  questions.  I 
was  one  of  the  passengers  on  that  ill-fated  ship !  " 

"Golly,  massah,  yo'  don't  really  mean  dat?" 
And  Old  Ben's  eyes  opened  widely. 


76  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Yes,  I  do.  I  suspected  it  before;  now  I  am 
dead  certain  of  it." 

At  this  declaration  Old  Ben  grew  quite  excited. 

"  And  did  yo'  know  Massah  Jack's  fadder, 
sah?" 

"  Yes,  my  man,  I  knew  him  very  well,"  and 
there  was  a  significant  smile  on  the  doctor's  face 
as  he  spoke. 

"  And  was  he  a  gen'man,  sah  ?  St.  John  Ruth- 
ven  t'inks  he  was  common  white  trash." 

"  He  was  a  gentleman  of  high  family — the  son 
of  an  English  nobleman,  although  born  in  this 
country." 

"  An'  Jack's  mudder,  sah  ?  " 

"  Was  an  American  lady — a  lady  belonging  to 
one  of  the  first  families  of  Massachusetts." 

"  Golly,  a  Northerner !  "  and  Ben's  face  became 
a  study. 

"  Yes." 

"  Yo'  must  visit  de  house,  sah,  and  tell  Mrs. 
Ruthven  'bout  dis.  She  will  want  to  heah  de 
partic'lars  wery  much,  sah." 

"  Yes,  I  will  visit  the  Ruthven  home,"  replied 
the  doctor. 

"  Yo'  know  de  way,  sah  ?  " 

"  I  believe  I  do." 

"  I  can  show  yo'  de  way,  an'  will  do  it  willingly. 
So  you  knew  Jack's  fadder  an'  mudder!     Golly, 


THE  PAPERS  ON    THE    WRECK.  77 

but  aint  dat  strange — after  all  dese  yeahs,  too! 
Jack  will  want  to  see  yo',  ob  course." 

"  And  I  shall  want  to  see  Jack,"  replied  the 
medical  man. 

"  Jack's  a  fine  lad,  sah." 

"lam  glad  to  hear  it."  But,  as  he  spoke,  the 
face  of  Dr.  Mackey  became  a  study. 

"  Yes,  sah;  aint  no  bettah  boy  in  all  dese  parts, 
sah." 

While  talking  Ben  was  rowing  steadily,  and  it 
was  not  long  before  the  pair  reached  shore. 

Then  the  boat  was  made  fast,  the  oars  put  away, 
and  the  doctor  and  the  colored  man  stalled  for  the 
Ruthven  mansion. 


CHAPTER  XL 

MRS.     RUTHVEN     SPEAKS     HER     MIND. 

Leaving  the  shore  of  the  bay,  St.  John  Ruth- 
ven  walked  slowly  toward  the  home  of  his  aunt. 

It  irritated  him  greatly  to  think  that  his  cousin 
preferred  the  society  of  Jack  to  his  own. 

"  I  must  speak  to  Aunt  Alice  about  this,"  he 
said  to  himself.     "  It  is  getting  worse  and  worse." 

He  found  his  aunt  sitting  in  the  garden  reading. 
She  looked  up  in  surprise  at  his  approach. 

"  Aunt  Alice,  can  you  spare  me  a  few  min- 
utes ?  "  he  said,  after  the  usual  greeting. 

"  Surely,    St.    John.      What    is    it    that   you 
wish  ?  " 

"  I  wish  to  speak  to  you  about  Marion." 

"  About    Marion  ? "      Mrs.    Ruthven    looked 
somewhat  surprised. 

"  Yes.     I  saw  her  out  again  in  a  boat  with  that 
boy." 

"  That  boy  ?     Do.  you  mean  Jack  ?  " 

"  Yes.     I  wonder  you  trust  her  to  his  care—3 
after  what  happened  at  the  wreck." 


MRS.    RUTH V EN  SPEAKS  HER    MIND.        79 

"Why  should  I  not?  Jack  understands  how 
to  manage  a  boat.  Marion  is  safe  with  her 
brother." 

"  But  he  is  not  her  brother,"  cried  St.  John. 

"  Not  in  blood,  perhaps,  but  in  affection.  They 
have  been  brought  up  together  as  children  of  one 
family." 

"  My  dear  Aunt  Alice,  do  you  think  you  have 
done  wisely  in  encouraging  this  intimacy  ?  "  he 
said  earnestly. 

"What  can  you  mean?"  she  demanded. 
"Jack  is  fourteen  years  old  and  Marion  is 
eighteen." 

"  Of  course.  But  you  know  nothing  of  the 
boy's  parentage.  He  is  an  unknown  waif,  cast 
upon  the  shore  in  his  infancy,  very  possibly  of  a 
low  family." 

"  No,  you  are  wrong  there.  Remember,  I  saw 
his  mother.  Everything  indicated  her  to  be  a 
lady.  The  child's  clothing  was  of  fine  texture. 
But  even  if  it  were  otherwise,  he  has  endeared 
himself  to  me  by  his  noble  qualities.  I  regard 
him  as  a  son." 

St.  John  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  You  look 
upon  him  with  the  eyes  of  affection.  To  me  he 
seems " 

"Well?" 

"A  commonplace  boy, — a  mechanic's  child, 


8o  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

very  possibly, — who  is  quite  out  of  place  among 
the  Ruthvens." 

At  this  Mrs.  Ruthven  grew  indignant. 

"  You  are  prejudiced !  "  she  cried.  "  I  will  not 
discuss  the  matter  farther  with  you.  I  wish  no 
one  to  speak  to  me  against  Jack.  He  is  as  dear 
to  me  as  Marion  herself." 

The  young  man  drew  a  deep  breath.  "  I  am 
silenced,  Aunt  Alice.  But  I  wish  to  speak  to  you 
about  Marion.  She  is  no  longer  a  child,  but  a 
young  lady." 

"  Yes,  she  is  now  eighteen,"  answered  Mrs. 
Ruthven  slowly.  "  But  to  me  she  seems  a 
child  still." 

"  Well — er — at  what  age  did  you  marry, 
aunt?" 

"  At  eighteen." 

"  Then,  Aunt  Alice,  you  cannot  be  surprised  if 
I  have  thought  of  Marion  as  my  future  wife.  I 
love  her  warmly  and  sincerely." 

At  this  abrupt  declaration  Mrs.  Ruthven  was 
considerably  surprised. 

"  Why,  St.  John,  do  you  wish  to  marry  that 
child  ?  "  she  exclaimed. 

"  Why  not?     She  is  eighteen." 

"  Yes,  but  I  had  never  thought  of  her  as  old 
enough  to  be  married.  Have  you  spoken  to 
her?" 


MRS.    RUTHVEN  SPEAKS  HER  MIND.        8l 

"  Yes,"  he  returned  slowly,  and  with  a  cloud  on 
his  face. 

"  And  what  did  she  say?  " 

"  Nothing — that  is,  she  was  taken  by  surprise 
and  did  not  wish  to  discuss  the  matter  at  present." 

Mrs.  Ruthven  drew  a  breath  of  relief.  "  She 
was  sensible.  Have  you  any  reason  to  think  that 
she  loves  you?  " 

"  I  think  she  will  soon.  I  am  not  conceited, 
Aunt  Alice,  but  I  think  I  have  a  good  appearance 
and — I  am  a  Ruthven." 

"  You  are  much  older  than  she,  St.  John." 

"  I  am,  but  a  man  of  my  age  is  still  a  young 
man." 

"  I  should  not  object  if  she  loved  you,  but  I  have 
never  seen  any  indications  of  it." 

"  Will  you  let  her  know  that  you  favor  my 
suit?" 

At  this  Mrs.  Ruthven  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  But  I  am  not  sure  that  I  do,"  she  returned 
slowly. 

"  Have  you  heard  anything  to  my  discredit?  " 
he  demanded  stiffly. 

"  No,  no,  St.  John ;  but  don't  be  precipitate. 
Let  the  matter  rest  for  the  present." 

"  Well,  if  you  insist  upon  it,  Aunt  Alice,"  he 
said,  his  face  falling. 

"  It  seems  to  me  best." 


82  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  But  still,  Aunt  Alice,  if  Marion  allows  her 
affections  to  drift  in  another  direction " 

"  I  do  not  think  she  will,  for  the  present.  She 
is  more  interested  in  the  war  than  in  anything 
else.  Why,  if  I  would  allow  it,  she  would  go  off 
and  offer  her  services  as  a  nurse." 

"  Don't  let  her  go,  aunt — I  beg  of  you." 

Mrs.  Ruthven  looked  at  her  nephew  curiously. 

"  What  makes  you  so  afraid  of  this  war,  St 
John?" 

"  Afraid  ?  I  am  not  afraid  exactly,"  he  stam- 
mered. "  I  was  thinking  of  dear  Marion.  It 
would  be  horrible  for  her  to  put  up  with  the  hard- 
ships, and  such  sights !  " 

"  But  somebody  must  bear  such  sights  and 
sounds.  War  is  war,  and  our  beloved  country 
must  be  sustained,  even  in  her  darkest  hour." 

He  trembled  and  turned  pale,  but  quickly  re- 
covered. 

"  What  you  say  is  true,  Aunt  Alice.  I  have 
wanted  to  go  to  the  front,  but  my  mother  posi- 
tively refuses  her  permission.  She  is  in  mortal 
terror  that  the  Yankees  will  come  to  our  planta- 
tion and  loot  the  place  in  my  absence." 

"  Do  you  think  you  can  keep  them  from  com- 
ing?" 

"  No,  but  I  can — er — I  can  perhaps  protect  my 
mother." 


MRS.   RUTH V EN  SPEAKS  HER  MIND.        83 

"  If  you  went  off,  she  could  come  over  here  and 
remain  with  me." 

"  She  wishes  to  remain  at  home.  The  old  place 
is  very  dear  to  her.  It  would  break  her  heart  to 
have  the  enemy  destroy  it." 

"  I  should  not  wish  our  place  destroyed.  Yet 
the  only  way  to  keep  the  enemy  back  is  to  go  to 
the  front  and  fight  them." 

"  Well — I  presume  you  are  right,  and  I  shall 
go  some  time — when  I  can  win  my  mother  over," 
said  St.  John  lamely. 

He  wanted  to  speak  of  Marion  again,  but,  on 
looking  across  the  garden,  saw  his  cousin  and 
Jack  approaching.  Soon  the  pair  came  up  and 
Marion  greeted  St.  John  with  a  slight  bow. 

"  We  have  been  out  rowing,  mother,"  said  Jack, 
as  he  came  up  and  kissed  Mrs.  Ruthven.  "  It  was 
lovely  on  the  bay." 

"Did  you  go  far?" 

"  We  went  over  to  Hoskin's  beach.  Marion 
rowed  part  of  the  way." 

"  I  hope  you  had  a  nice  time,"  said  St.  John 
stiffly,  turning  to  Marion. 

"  We  had  a  lovely  time,"  answered  the  girl. 
"  Jack  is  the  best  rower  around  here." 

"Humph!  Why,  he's  only  a  boy!"  sneered 
the  spendthrift. 

"  Yes,  I  am  only  a  boy,  St.  John,  but  I  reckon 


84  YO  UNG   CA  P  TA  IN  J  A  CK. 

I  can  row  as  good  as  you,"  replied  our  hero 
warmly.  He  had  not  forgotten  the  encounter  on 
the  road. 

"Do  you,  indeed?" 

"  Yes,  I  do.  Some  day  we  can  try  a  race.  I'll 
give  you  choice  of  boats  and  beat  you." 

At  this  Marion  set  up  a  merry  laugh. 

"  I  believe  Jack  can  beat  you  at  rowing,  St. 
John,"  she  said. 

"  I  never  race  with  boys,"  answered  the  spend- 
thrift, more  stiffly  than  ever. 

"  I'll  race  you  to-day,"  went  on  Jack.  "  And 
I've  rowed  three  or  four  miles  already." 

"  Oh,  Jack !  you  are  too  tired  and  the  sun  is  too 
strong,"  remonstrated  Mrs.  Ruthven,  although 
inwardly  pleased  to  see  the  lad  stand  up  for  him- 
self. 

"  I  said  I  never  raced  with  boys,"  said  St.  John. 

"  I  would  like  to  see  a  race,"  came  from  Marion. 
"  I  dare  you  to  row  Jack,  St.  John." 

"  Let  us  make  it  to  the  rocks  and  back,"  said 
Jack.  "  And  you  can  have  any  of  the  boats  you 
please.  I  dare  you  to  do  it,"  and  he  looked  at  St. 
John  defiantly. 

"  St.  John  may  be  tired.  Perhaps  he  has  been 
working,"  suggested  Mrs.  Ruthven,  although  she 
knew  better. 

"  No,  he  has  been  walking  and  resting  along 


MRS.    RUTHVEN  SPEAKS  HER  MIND.        85 

shore,"  said  Marion.  "  We  saw  him  from  our 
boat." 

"  I'll  give  you  another  advantage,  besides 
choice  of  boats,"  said  Jack,  bound  that  St.  John 
should  not  back  out.  "  I'll  carry  Marion  as  extra 
weight." 

"  Oh,  that  wouldn't  be  fair !  "  cried  the  girl. 
"  Let  St.  John  carry  mamma." 

"  No,  I  must  decline  to  go,"  said  Mrs.  Ruthven. 

"  I'll  take  Marion,  and  St.  John  need  carry  only 
himself,"  said  our  hero.  "  I  am  certain  I  can 
beat  him.     I  dare  him  to  take  me  up." 

There  seemed  no  help  for  it,  so  St.  John  gave  in, 
and  soon  the  three  were  on  the  way  to  Old  Ben's 
boathouse. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE    BOAT    RACE    ON    THE    BAY. 

"  I  think  this  is  a  very  foolish  proceeding," 
observed  St.  John  as  they  walked  along. 

"  I  think  it's  going  to  be  lots  of  fun,"  replied 
Marion.  "  The  one  who  wins  shall  receive  a 
lovely  bunch  of  roses  from  me." 

"  Then  I'll  win,"  said  the  spendthrift,  and  be- 
stowed a  meaning  smile  upon  her,  which  instantly 
made  her  turn  her  head. 

They  used  a  short  cut  to  the  beach,  consequently 
they  did  not  meet  Old  Ben  and  Dr.  Mackey. 

When  the  boathouse  was  gained  they  went  to 
inspect  the  four  boats  lying  there. 

St.  John  knew  the  boats  well,  for  he  was  by  no 
means  an  unskilled  rower. 

He  picked  out  the  lightest  of  the  craft,  one 
which  was  long  and  narrow,  and  also  took  the  best 
pair  of  oars. 

Marion  was.  going  to  remonstrate,  but  Jack 
silenced  her. 

"  But,  Jack,  if  you  have  a  poor  boat,  and  carry 
me,  too "  she  began,  in  a  whisper. 

86 


THE  BOAT  RACE   ON   THE  BAY.  87 

"  I'll  beat  him,  anyway,"  replied  our  hero.  "  I 
know  I  can  do  it." 

Soon  they  had  the  boats  out. 

Marion  half  expected  St.  John  to  invite  her  to 
enter  his  craft,  but  in  this  she  was  mistaken.  The 
spendthrift  was  afraid  that  the  extra  weight  would 
prove  fatal  to  his  success.  Yet  it  angered  him  to 
have  his  cousin  go  off  with  Jack. 

"  Marion,  you  ought  to  remain  on  shore,"  he 
said.  "  The  race  ought  to  be  rowed  with  both 
boats  empty." 

"  Well,  if  you  think  best "  she  began. 

"  No,  Marion,  you  are  to  go  with  me,"  put  in 
Jack  hastily.  "  I  said  I  would  row  with  you  in 
my  boat,  and  I  will." 

"  But  I  am  quite  a  weight " 

"  Never  mind;  jump  in." 

As  there  seemed  no  help  for  it,  Marion  entered 
Jack's  boat  and  our  hero  pulled  a  rod  away  from 
the  shore. 

"Now  where  is  the  race  to  be?"  asked  St. 
John,  as  he  followed  Jack's  example  and  pulled 
off  his  coat. 

"  Let  Marion  decide  that,"  said  the  youth 
promptly. 

"  Then  make  it  to  the  Sister  Rocks,"  said 
Marion.  "  Each  boat  must  go  directly  around 
the  rocks." 


83  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  That  suits  me,"  said  Jack. 

"  It's  a  good  mile  and  a  half,"  grumbled  St. 
John.  He  had  no  desire  to  exert  himself  in  that 
warm  sun. 

"  It's  no  farther  for  you  than  for  Jack,"  an- 
swered the  girl.     "  Come,  are  you  ready?  " 

There  was  a  pause,  and  then  St.  John  said  that 
he  was. 

"And  you,  Jack?" 

"  All  ready,  Marion." 

"  Then  go !  "  cried  the  girl. 

The  four  oars  dropped  into  the  water  and  off 
went  the  two  boats,  side  by  side. 

St.  John,  eager  to  win  for  the  sake  of  finding 
favor  in  Marion's  eyes,  exerted  himself  to  the 
utmost,  and  soon  forged  ahead. 

"  Oh,  Jack !  he  is  going  to  beat,"  cried  the  girl, 
in  disappointment.  "  I  am  too  much  of  a  load 
for  you." 

"  The  race  has  but  started,"  he  replied.  "  Wait 
until  we  turn  the  rocks  and  then  see  who  is 
ahead." 

On  and  on  went  the  two  boats,  St.  John  pulling 
strongly,  but  somewhat  wildly — a  pace  he  could 
not  keep  up.  Jack  rowed  strongly,  too,  but  kept 
himself  somewhat  in  reserve. 

When  half  the  distance  to  the  Sister  Rocks  was 
covered  St.  John  was  four  boat-lengths  ahead. 


THE  BOAT  RACE   ON   THE  BAY.  89 

"  Ha !  what  did  I  tell  you !  "  he  cried.  "  I  will 
beat  you,  and  beat  you  badly,  too !  " 

"  '  He  laughs  best  who  laughs  last,'  "  quoted 
Jack.  "  Marion,  sit  a  little  more  to  the  left, 
please.  There,  that's  it — now  we'll  go  along 
straighten  " 

"  I  wish  I  could  help  row,"  she  said.  "  But 
that  wouldn't  be  fair.  But,  oh,  Jack!  you  must 
beat  him!  " 

Slowly,  but  surely,  they  approached  the  Sister 
Rocks.  Being  ahead,  St.  John  turned  in,  to  take 
the  shortest  cut  around  the  turning-stake,  if  such 
the  rocks  may  be  called. 

"  Too  bad,  Jack,  you  will  have  to  go  outside," 
cried  Marion. 

"  Never  mind,  I'll  beat  him,  anyway,"  answered 
our  hero,  and  now  let  himself  out. 

The  added  strength  to  his  stroke  soon  told,  and 
before  long  he  began  to  crawl  close  to  St.  John's 
craft.  Then  he  overlapped  his  opponent  and 
forged  ahead. 

"  Hurrah!  you  are  ahead!  "  cried  Marion  ex- 
citedly, but  in  a  voice  her  cousin  might  not  hear. 
"  Keep  up,  Jack;  you  are  doing  wonderfully  well." 

Our  hero  did  keep  up,  and  when  he  reached  the 
first  of  the  Sister  Rocks  he  was  more  than  two 
boat-lengths  ahead. 

He  knew  the  rocks  well,  and  glided  around  them 


9©  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

skillfully,  with  just  enough  water  between  the 
rocks  and  the  boat  to  make  the  turning  a  safe  one. 

"  Now  for  the  home  stretch !  "  he  murmured, 
and  began  to  pull  as  never  before.  He  felt  certain 
he  could  defeat  St.  John,  but  he  wished  to  make 
the  defeat  as  large  as  possible.  "  He'll  find  even 
a  nobody  can  row,"  he  told  himself,  with  grim 
satisfaction. 

To  have  Jack  go  ahead  of  him  drove  St.  John 
frantic,  and  as  he  drew  closer  to  the  rocks  he  be- 
came wildly  excited. 

"  He  must  not  win  this  race — he  a  mere  no- 
body," he  muttered.  "  What  will  Marion  think 
if  he  wins  ?  " 

The  thought  was  maddening,  and  he  pulled  des- 
perately, first  on  one  oar  and  then  on  the  other. 
Around  the  rocks  the  waters  ran  swiftly,  and  be- 
fore he  knew  it  there  came  a  crash  and  his  craft 
was  stove  in  and  upset.  He  clutched  at  the  gun- 
wale of  the  boat,  but  missed  it,  and  plunged  head- 
long into  the  bay. 

When  the  mishap  occurred  Jack  was  paying 
sole  attention  to  the  work  cut  out  for  him,  con- 
sequently he  did  not  notice  what  was  taking  place. 
Nor  did  Marion  see  the  disaster  until  several 
seconds  later. 

"  St.  John  will "  began  the  girl,  and  then 

turned  deadly  pale.     "  Oh,  Jack !  "  she  screamed. 


THE  BOAT  RACE   ON   THE  BAY.  9* 

"What's  the  matter?"  he  cried,  and  stopped 
rowing  instantly. 

"  Look !  look !  St.  John's  boat  has  gone  on  the 
rocks  and  he  is  overboard !  "  she  gasped. 

"  How  foolish  for  him  to  row  so  close,"  was 
Jack's  comment.  And  then  he  added,  in  some- 
thing like  disgust,  "  I  reckon  the  race  is  off 
now." 

"  We  must  go  back  for  him,"  went  on  Marion. 
"  See,  he  has  disappeared." 

The  girl  was  right,  the  weight  of  St.  John's 
clothing  had  carried  him  beneath  the  surface. 
The  swiftly  running  water  had  likewise  caught 
him,  and  when  he  came  up  it  was  at  a  point  fifty 
feet  away  from  the  nearest  rock. 

"  He  will  be  drowned,  Jack !  " 

"  Help !  help !  "  came  in  a  faint  cry  from  the 
spendthrift.  "  Help  me,  Jack !  Don't  leave  me 
to  perish!  " 

"Keep  up,  I'm  coming!"  answered  Jack 
readily,  and  as  quickly  as  he  could  he  turned  his 
boat  and  pulled  in  the  direction  where  St.  John 
had  again  sunk  from  sight. 

The  spendthrift  was  but  an  indifferent  swim- 
mer, and  the  weight  of  his  clothing  was  much 
against  him.  Moreover,  he  was  scared  to  death, 
and  threw  his  arms  around  wildly  instead  of  doing 
his  best  to  save  himself. 


92  YO  UNG  CAP  TAIN  J  A  CK. 

He  had  gone  down  once,  and  now,  as  Jack's 
boat  came  closer,  he  went  down  a  second  time. 

"  Oh,  Jack !  he  will  surely  be  drowned !  " 
gasped  Marion,  and  she  placed  her  hands  over 
her  eyes  to  keep  out  the  awful  sight 

"  Look  to  the  boat,  I  am  going  after  him ! " 
cried  our  hero  suddenly,  and  leaping  to  the  bow, 
he  dove  into  the  bay  after  the  sinking  young 
man. 

He  had  been  afraid  of  bringing  the  craft  closer 
and  hitting  St.  John.  Now  he  struck  out  boldly, 
and  then  made  a  second  dive,  coming  up  close  to 
the  spendthrift's  side. 

St.  John  wished  to  cry  out,  but  the  words  would 
not  come.  Espying  Jack,  he  grabbed  for  the  lad 
and  clutched  him  around  the  throat. 

"  Don't  hold  on  so  tight !  "  cried  Jack  in  alarm. 
"  I  will  save  you.     Take  hold  of  my  shoulder." 

But  St.  John  was  too  excited  to  be  reasoned 
with,  and  instead  of  letting  up,  he  clung  closer 
than  ever,  so  that  soon  both  were  in  peril  of  going 
down. 

"  Let  up,  I  say !  "  repeated  Jack,  and  then, 
drawing  up  one  knee,  he  literally  forced  the  young 
man  from  him.  Then,  as  St.  John  turned  partly 
around,  he  caught  him  under  the  arms  and  began 
to  tread  water. 

By  this  time  Marion  was  at  the  oars,  her  tempo- 


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THE  BOAT  RACE   ON    THE  BAY.  9$ 

rary  fear  vanishing  with  the  thought  that  not  only 
St.  John,  but  also  Jack,  was  in  peril.  With  cau- 
tion she  brought  the  rowboat  closer. 

"  Catch  hold  there,"  said  Jack,  and  seeing  the 
boat,  St.  John  made  a  wild  clutch  for  the  gun- 
wale, nearly  upsetting  the  craft. 

"  Don't — you'll  have  me  in  the  water  next !  " 
screamed  Marion.  Then  Jack  steadied  the  boat, 
and  St.  John  scrambled  in  over  the  stern,  to  fall  on 
the  bottom  all  but  exhausted,  and  so  frightened 
that  he  could  not  utter  a  word.  Jack  followed  on 
board. 

"  Oh,  St.  John,  what  a  narrow  escape!  "  gasped 
Marion,  after  Jack  was  safe.  "  I  thought  you 
would  surely  be  drowned !  " 

For  the  moment  St.  John  did  not  speak.  He 
sat  up,  panting  heavily. 

"  The  race  is  off,"  said  Jack.  "  Shall  I  go  after 
your  boat,  St.  John  ?  ' 

"  I  don't  care,"  growled  the  spendthrift,  at  last. 
"Where  is  she?" 

"  Caught  between  the  rocks." 

"  Let  Old  Ben  get  the  boat,"  put  in  Marion. 
"  Both  of  you  had  better  get  home  with  your  wet 
clothing." 

"  I'm  all  right,"  answered  the  spendthrift 
coolly. 

"  St.  John,  Jack  saved  your  life." 


94  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Oh,  I  would  have  been  all  right — although, 
to  be  sure,  my  boat  was  wrecked." 

"Why,  what  would  you  have  done?"  asked 
Marion,  in  astonishment. 

"  I  would  have  swam  to  shore,  or  else  crawled 
on  the  rocks  and  signaled  Old  Ben  to  come  out 
after  me,"  answered  St  John. 

He  never  thought  to  thank  Jack,  and  this  made 
Marion  very  indignant. 

"  Jack  did  a  great  deal  for  you,  St.  John."  she 
exclaimed.  "And  he  won  the  race,  too,"  she 
added,  and  would  say  no  more. 

Without  loss  of  time  Jack  rowed  the  boat  back 
to  the  landing  and  St.  John  leaped  out.  He 
wished  to  assist  his  cousin,  but  she  gave  her  hand 
to  Jack.  Then  the  three  walked  toward  the  plan- 
tation in  almost  utter  silence. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

DR,    MACKEY    TELLS    HIS    STORY. 

Left  to  herself,  Mrs.  Ruthven  grew  restless 
and  began  to  walk  around  the  garden,  examining 
the  flower  beds  and  the  shrubbery. 

She  did  not  like  what  St.  John  had  had  to  say 
concerning  Marion.  While  she  did  not  exactly 
fear  the  young  man,  yet  she  had  heard  several  re- 
ports which  were  not  to  his  credit. 

"  They  say  he  gambles  on  horse  races,"  she 
thought.  "  And  I  have  heard  that  the  plantation 
is  heavily  mortgaged.  Perhaps  he  wishes  to 
marry  Marion  only  for  the  money  she  may  bring 
him.  And  then  it  is  not  right  for  him  to  remain 
around  here  when  other  men  are  at  the  front, 
serving  their  country's  flag." 

She  remained  in  the  garden  for  some  time,  and 
was  on  the  point  of  moving  for  the  house  when  she 
saw  Old  Ben  approaching  with  Dr.  Mackey. 

"  A  stranger — and  dressed  in  the  uniform  of  a 
Confederate,"  she  said,  half  aloud.  "  What  can 
he  wish  here  ?  " 

"  Good-afternoon,  missus,"  said  Old  Ben,  re- 

95 


96  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

moving  his  hat.  "  Here  am  a  gen'man  as  wishes 
to  see  yo',"  and  he  bowed  low. 

"  To  see  me?  "  said  Mrs.  Ruthven. 

"  Yes,  madam,"  replied  the  doctor.  "  Permit 
me  to  introduce  myself.  I  am  Dr.  Mackey,  a  sur- 
geon attached  to  the  Fifth  Virginia  regiment," 
and  he  bowed  gravely. 

"  I  am  happy  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  an 
officer  in  our  army,  sir,"  replied  Mrs.  Ruthven, 
and  held  out  her  hand. 

"  I  understand  the  late  Colonel  Ruthven  was 
also  of  our  army,  and  died  at  a  gallant  charge  on 
the  field  of  Gettysburg,"  continued  the  doctor,  as 
he  shook  hands. 

"  You  have  been  correctly  informed,  doctor." 

"  De  doctor  brings  most  important  information, 
missus,"  put  in  old  Ben,  who  was  almost  explod- 
ing to  tell  what  he  knew. 

"  Is  that  so  ?  "  cried  Mrs.  Ruthven.  "  What 
is  it?" 

"  I  came  to  speak  to  you  about  yonder  wreck 
on  Hemlock  Bluff  rocks,"  said  the  surgeon. 
"  The  sight  of  that  wreck  has  taken  me  back  to 
the  affairs  of  about  eleven  years  ago." 

"  So  you  were — you  knew  of  it  at  that  time, 
sir?" 

"  Yes,  I  was  one  of  the  passengers  on  the  ship, 
madam." 


DR.   MACKEY    TELLS  HIS  STORY.  97 

"  A  passenger !  I  thought  all  of  the  passengers 
were  drowned, — I  mean  all  but  those  who  came 
ashore  here." 

"  I  was  not  drowned.  I  was  swept  overboard 
before  our  ship  came  into  the  bay,  and  clung  to  a 
spar  for  hours,  until  the  storm  abated.  Then  a 
ship  bound  for  Cuba  came  along  and  took  me  on 
board  and  carried  me  to  Havana.  The  shock  and 
the  exposure  were  too  much  for  me,  and  when  I 
recovered  physically  the  authorities  at  the  hospital 
adjudged  me  insane,  and  I  was  placed  in  an  asylum 
for  years.  Slowly  my  reason  returned  to  me,  and 
at  last  I  left  the  island  of  Cuba  and  came  to  the 
Southern  States.  This  was  shortly  after  the 
war  had  broken  out,  and,  knowing  nothing 
else  to  do,  I  offered  my  services  to  General  Lee, 
and  was  accepted  and  placed  in  the  hospital 
corps." 

"  But  why  did  you  not  come  here  before  ?  " 

"  I  could  not  tell  exactly  where  the  ship  had 
stranded,  and  did  not  hear  of  the  wreck  on  Hem- 
lock Bluff  rocks  until  about  three  weeks  ago. 
Then  I  determined  to  make  an  investigation.  I 
have  now  visited  the  wreck  and  have  learned  posi- 
tively that  it  is  that  of  the  ship  upon  which  myself, 
my  wife,  and  our  little  son  took  passage." 

'"  Yourself,  your  wife,  and  your  little  son,"  re- 
peated Mrs.  Ruthven,  and  then  of  a  sudden  her 


98  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

breast  began  to  heave.  "  Your  wife  and  son  were 
with  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  madam." 

"  Wha — what  was  your  little  son's  name?  "  she 
faltered,  hardly  able  to  go  on. 

"Jack." 

"  By  golly,  he  must  be  our  Jack's  fadder !  " 
burst  out  Old  Ben.  "  Now  don't  dat  beat  de 
nation !  " 

"  Jack !  No !  no !  You — you  cannot  be  our 
Jack's  father !  "  cried  Mrs.  Ruthven. 

"  I  understand  you  are  very  much  attached  to 
the  boy,"  went  on  Dr.  Mackey  smoothly.  "  It  is 
a  pity.     Yes,  he  is  truly  my  son." 

The  tears  came  into  Mrs.  Ruthven's  eyes,  but 
she  hastily  brushed  them  away.  "  Jack  does  not 
look  much  like  you,"  she  declared. 

"  That  is  true,  but  he  bears  a  strong  resem- 
blance to  my  dead  brother  Walter,  and  that  is 
what  made  me  certain  he  is  my  son.  I  saw  him  in 
town  a  day  or  two  ago,  although  he  did  not  see 
me. 

"  This  is  very  strange."  The  lady  hardly 
knew  how  to  go  on.  The  thought  that  she  might 
have  to  give  up  Jack  was  a  bitter  one.  "  Have 
you  spoken  to  Jack  yet  ?  " 

"No.     Isn't  he  here?" 

"  No,  he  went  for  a  boat  race,  against  his 


DR.    MACKEY   TELLS  HLS  STORY.  99 

:ousin,  St.  John  Ruthven — I  mean  my  nephew/' 
she  stammered. 

"  Do  you  expect  him  back  soon?  " 

"  I  do  not  believe  he  will  be  gone  more  than  an 
dour  or  so." 

"  Then  I  will  wait." 

"Of  course,  Dr.  Mackey.  Will  you  come  into 
the  house?  " 

The  surgeon  was  willing,  and  the  lady  led  the 
way.  But  presently  she  turned  back  to  beckon  to 
Old  Ben. 

"  Go  after  Jack  at  once,"  she  said.  "  Tell  him 
it  is  important,  but  do  not  say  anything  more  to 
anybody."  Ben  nodded,  and  without  further  de- 
lay strode  off. 

"  I  have  heard  something  of  how  the  wreck 
struck  here  and  how  my  poor  wife  was  cast  ashore 
with  Jack  in  her  arms,"  said  the  doctor,  as  he 
threw  himself  into  an  easy-chair.  "  I  should  be 
very  much  gratified  to  receive  the  particulars  from 
your  lips.     Did  my  wife  have  anything  to  say  ?  " 

"  Nothing  much,  sir.  She  was  delirious  up  to 
the  moment  of  her  death." 

"Poor,  dear  Julia!"  murmured  the  surgeon, 
and  bringing  out  his  handkerchief,  he  wiped  his 
eyes  with  much  affectation. 

/  Was  her  name  Julia  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Ruthven 
curiously. 


IOO  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Yes,  madam."  The  doctor  looked  up  sud- 
denly.    "  What  makes  you  ask?  " 

"  It  ran  in  my  mind  that  before  your  wife  died 
she  murmured  something  about  her  name  being 
Laura." 

"  Poor  dear !  she  was  truly  out  of  her  mind,"  re- 
plied the  surgeon.  "  But  it  is  not  to  be  wondered 
at — considering  what  happened  to  me."  And 
he  proceeded  to  make  use  of  his  handkerchief 
again. 

Mrs.  Ruthven  sank  into  a  chair  and  gave  her- 
self up  to  bitter  reflection.  What  if  this  man 
should  take  Jack  from  her?  The  plantation 
would  seem  very  lonely  without  him. 

Voices  were  now  heard  in  the  garden,  and  look- 
ing out  of  the  window  the  lady  of  the  house  saw 
Jack  approaching,  accompanied  by  Marion  and 
Old  Ben.  St.  John  had  taken  himself  off,  in 
order  to  get  home  and  exchange  his  wet  clothing 
for  dry  garments. 

"  Oh,  Jack !  what  does  this  mean  ?  "  cried  Mrs. 
Ruthven  when  she  saw  that  our  hero  was  dripping 
wet. 

"  He  saved  St.  John's  life,  mamma,"  exclaimed 
Marion.  x 

"Saved  St.  John's  life?" 

"  Yes.  St.  John's  boat  struck  on  the  rocks,  and 
he  went  overboard.     The  current  was  strong,  and 


DR.   MACKEY   TELLS  HIS  STORY.  IOI 

he  would  have  been  swept  away  only  Jack  leaped 
overboard  and  went  to  his  assistance." 

"  You  noble  boy !  "  murmured  Mrs.  Ruthven, 
and  as  he  came  in,  by  way  of  one  of  the  long 
veranda  windows,  she  caught  him  by  both 
hands. 

"  Old  Ben  said  you  wished  to  see  me,"  replied 
Jack,  and  then  he  caught  sight  of  Dr.  Mackey  and 
his  face  fell.  "  The  man  I  had  the  row  with,"  he 
thought. 

"  Jack,  this  is  Dr.  Mackey,"  said  Mrs.  Ruthven, 
in  strained  tones.  "  He — he  came  here  to  see 
you."     She  could  get  no  further. 

"To  see  me?     What  for?" 

"  My  boy,  I  am  pleased  to  meet  you,"  said  the 
doctor,  rising  and  extending  his  hand.  And  he 
then  added  in  a  lower  voice,  "  How  like  Walter! 
How  very  like  Walter !  " 

"  I — I  don't  understand  you,"  stammered  Jack. 
"  What  do  you  want  of  me?" 

"  My  boy,  you  are  thinking  of  that  encounter 
we  had  on  the  bridge.  Let  us  both  forget  it.  I 
came  here  on  a  most  important  mission.  Jack,  I 
am  your  father !  " 

"  My  father?  "  And  our  hero  leaped  back  in 
astonishment. 

"  Yes,  my  son,  I  am  your  father."  Dr.  Mackey 
caught  our  hero  by  the  hand.     "  No  doubt  the 


loa  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

hews  seems  strange  to  you.  Nevertheless,  it  is 
true." 

Jack  hardly  heard  the  latter  words,  for  his  head 
was  in  a  swim.  This  crafty-looking,  overbearing 
individual  his  parent?  The  shock  was  an  awful 
one.     He  turned  to  his  foster  mother. 

"  Mother,  is  this  true — is  this  man  my  real 
father  ?  "  he  cried  beseechingly. 

"  So  he  claims,"  returned  Mrs.  Ruthven. 

"  My  dear,  dear  son,  I  trust  you  do  not  dis- 
believe me,"  said  the  doctor,  in  an  apparently  hurt 
tone  of  voice 

"  I — I  don't  know  what  to  say,"  faltered  Jack. 
"  This  is  so  strange — so  unexpected.  Why  didn't 
you  come  here  before?  " 

"  I  have  just  been  telling  Mrs.  Ruthven  my 
story,"  and  the  surgeon  repeated  what  he  had  said, 
with  several  added  details.  As  the  man  went  on 
our  hero's  face  grew  very  pale,  and  he  moved 
slowly  towards  Mrs.  Ruthven  and  clutched  her  by 
the  shoulder. 

"  Mother,  I  don't  want  to  leave  you!  "  he  whis- 
pered hoarsely.  "  I  don't  like  this  man,  even  if 
he  is  my  father!  " 

"  I  do  not  want  you  to  leave  me,  Jack,"  she  an- 
swered, embracing  him  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  he 
was  dripping  wet.  "  But  if  this  man  is  really 
your  father " 


DR.   MACKEY   TELLS  HIS  STORY.  103 

"  Make  him  prove  it !  " 

"  You  will  not  take  his  word?  " 

"  No!  no!  I  do  not  like  his  looks.  He  is  the 
man  who  met  me  on  the  bridge  and  treated  me  like 
a  slave." 

Marion  had  listened  to  the  conversation  with  a 
look  of  horror  slowly  rising  on  her  face.  Now 
she  rushed  toward  Jack. 

"  Jack,  can  this  be  true,  and  must  I  give  you 
up  ?  "  she  sobbed. 

"  No,  I'm  not  going  to  give  you  up,  Marion. 
We  have  always  been  brother  and  sister,  and  so 
we  shall  remain — if  you  are  willing." 

"  Yes,  dear  Jack;  stay  by  all  means." 

By  this  time  Dr.  Mackey  had  arisen  to  his  feet, 
and  now  he  came  up  to  Jack  with  a  darkening 
face. 

"  Did  I  understand  you  to  say  that  you  wished 
me  to  prove  I  was  your  father  ?  "  he  demanded 
harshly. 

"  Yes,  I  do  wish  you  to  prove  it,"  answered 
Jack,  with  a  boldness  born  of  desperation.  "  And 
until  you  prove  it  I  shall  remain  here — if  Mrs. 
Ruthven  will  let  me." 

"  By  golly,  dat's  de  talk !  "  came  from  Old  Ben, 
who  was  hanging  around  on  the  veranda. 

"  Shut  up,  you  worthless  nigger !  "  cried  the 
doctor,   at   which   Ben   disappeared   like  magic 


104  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  This  is  a  very — ahem — a  very  strange  way  to 
treat  a  newly  found  father,  Jack." 

"  I  don't  acknowledge  you  as  my  father." 

"  Ha!  you  won't  believe  me?  " 

"  I  will  not,  sir,  and  until  you  prove  your  claim 
in  court  I  shall  remain  with  the  lady  who  has 
been  a  real  mother  to  me,"  answered  our  hero 
pointedly  and  firmly. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

JACK    SPEAKS    HIS    MIND. 

A  dead  silence  followed  our  hero's  declaration 
to  remain  with  Mrs.  Ruthven  until  Dr.  Mackey 
had  proved  his  claim  to  Jack  in  a  court  of  law. 

"  This  is  a  fine  way  to  talk !  "  ejaculated  the 
surgeon  at  last.     "  A  fine  way,  truly !  " 

"I  mean  what  I  say!"  declared  Jack. 
"Mother,  am  I  right  or  wrong?"  And  he 
turned  pleadingly  to  Mrs.  Ruthven. 

"  Dr.  Mackey  will  certainly  have  tx>  establish 
his  claim  to  you  before  I  give  you  up,  Jack,"  re- 
plied the  lady  of  the  plantation  quickly.  "  You 
see,  I  have  adopted  him  legally,  and  he  has  been 
as  dear  to  me  as  though  he  were  my  own  flesh  and 
blood." 

"  Well — er — of  course,  in  one  way,  your  deci- 
sion does  you  credit,  madam,"  answered  the  sur- 
geon lamely.  "  You  have  done  a  great  deal  for 
the  lad,  and  for  that  I  must  be  as  thankful  as  he  is. 
When  I  have  proved  my  claim  I  will  pay  you  back 
all  the  money  you  have  spent  upon  him." 

"  I  shall  not  wish  a  cent,  sir." 
105 


1 06  YO  UNG   CAP  TAIN  J  A  CK. 

"  Yet  I  shall  insist,  madam." 

*  Are  you  wealthy?  "  asked  Marion  curiously. 

"  Yes,  Miss  Ruthven — or  I  will  be  as  soon  as  I 
have  proven  my  identity.  As  yet  I  have  been  able 
to  do  but  little.  Let  me  add,  Mackey  is  not  my 
real  name." 

"What  is  your  real  name?"  questioned  Mrs. 
Ruthven. 

"  I  will  reveal  that  later,  when  I  have  taken  the 
proper  steps  in  law  to  obtain  the  vast  property 
which  is  rightfully  coming  to  me.  You  see,  when 
I  disappeared,  so  to  speak,  nearly  eleven  years  ago, 
my  property  went  into  the  hands  of  distant  rela- 
tives, and  they  hate  to  give  it  up,  and  are  just  as 
anxious  to  prove  me  an  impostor  as  you  seem  to 
be." 

"  I  am  not  anxious  to  prove  you  an  impostor, 
Dr.  Mackey;  my  heart  is  wrapped  up  in  Jack,  that 
is  all.  If  he  is  your  son,  I  will  rejoice  that  he  will 
be  well  off." 

"  I  don't  want  to  be  rich;  I  would  rather  stay 
with  you,"  put  in  our  hero  quickly,  and  he  meant 
what  he  said. 

"  Your  affection  for  your  foster  mother  does 
you  credit,  Jack,"  said  the  doctor  smoothly. 

"  She  has  been  the  best  of  mothers  to  me;  so 
why  shouldn't  I  love  her?  " 

"True,  my  son,  true.     But  it  is  strange  that 


JACK  SPEAKS  HIS  MIND.  107 

you  have  no  warm  feeling  for  me — such  as  I  have 
for  you." 

"  You  are  a  stranger  to  me." 

"  I  trust  your  feeling  towards  me  changes,  for  I 
want  my  only  son  to  love  me." 

At  this  Jack  was  silent,  and  instead  of  looking 
at  the  man  he  looked  at  Mrs,  Ruthven  and  at 
Marion.  Then,  unable  to  control  his  feelings,  he 
rushed  from  the  room,  mounted  the  stairs,  and 
burst  into  his  own  apartment,  where  he  threw 
himself  on  the  bed,  wet  as  he  was,  to  give  himself 
up  to  his  misery. 

"  I  don't  want  that  man  for  a  father !  "  he  cried, 
over  and  over  again,  half  tearfully  and  with  set 
teeth.  "  I  don't  want  him !  He  isn't  a  bit  like 
anybody  I  could  love!  Oh,  how  I  wish  I  had 
never  set  eyes  on  him !  " 

"  It  is  a  great  shock  to  Jack,  and  to  all  of  us," 
was  Mrs.  Ruthven's  comment,  after  the  lad  was 
gone. 

"  My  reception  here  has  been  a  great  shock  to 
me,"  said  the  doctor  bluntly.  "  My  own  son  runs 
away  from  me." 

"  He  had  some  trouble  with  you  a  couple  of 
weeks  ago." 

"  Pooh,  that  was  nothing !  I  had  almost  for- 
gotten it." 

"Jack   does  not   forget   such   things  easily. 


io8  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

Moreover,  he  is  slow  to  make  friends  with  any- 
body." 

"  He  doesn't  know  the  chances  he  is  throwing 
away.  Were  it  not  that  he  is  my  son,  and  my 
heart  goes  out  toward  him,  I  would  never  bother 
him." 

"What  chances  has  he?"  asked  Marion. 

"  I  shall  be  very  rich ;  and,  not  only  that,  our 
family  has  a  famous  name  in  England,  with  a 
title  attached.  Jack  may  some  day  be  a  noble- 
man." 

"  I  reckon  he'd  rather  be  an  American,"  an- 
swered Marion. 

"  Well,  there  is  no  accounting  for  tastes,"  said 
the  surgeon  dryly.  "  And  you  evidently  have 
him  well  drilled  in." 

"  What  actual  proofs  have  you  that  Jack  is  your 
son  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Ruthven,  after  a  painful  pause. 

"  I  have  a  number  of  private  papers;  also  the 
marriage  certificate  which  proves  that  I  married 
Jack's  mother.  More  than  that,  I  expect  soon  to 
meet  an  old  college  chum  who  knows  much  of  the 
past,  and  who  can  testify  in  my  behalf." 

"  Well,  on  my  own  account  and  on  Jack's,  I  feel 
that  I  must  make  you  prove  your  claim,  Dr. 
Mackey.  It  will  be  hard  enough  to  give  up  the 
boy  when  I  am  assured  that  he  is  really  your  own." 

"  I  will  not  discuss  the  situation  further,"  cried 


JACK  SPEAKS  HIS  MIND.  I0g 

the  doctor,  moving  stiffly  toward  the  door.  "  But 
unless  you  wish  me  to  take  immediate  steps  to 
take  Jack  from  you,  you  must  make  me  one 
promise." 

"And  what  is  that,  sir?" 

"  That  you  will  not  spirit  the  boy  away  from 
this  plantation,  so  that  he  cannot  be  brought  into 
court  when  wanted." 

"  I  will  promise  that.  I  do  not  wish  to  do  any- 
thing contrary  to  law." 

"  Then  that  is  all  for  the  present,  Mrs.  Ruth- 
ven,  and  I  will  bid  you  good-day." 

"  When  do  you  expect  to  come  back  again?  " 

"  As  soon  as  my  duties  will  permit.  The  Yan- 
kees are  pressing  us  hard,  and  I  cannot  neglect  my 
duties  as  a  surgeon  in  our  army." 

In  a  moment  more  the  doctor  was  gone.  Mrs. 
Ruthven  watched  him  out  of  sight,  then  sank  in  a 
chair,  all  but  overcome.  Old  Ben  saw  her  and 
came  up,  hat  in  hand,  his  honest  face  full  of 
genuine  grief. 

"  Missus,  dis  am  de  worst  wot  I  eber  did  heah," 
he  said.  "  De  idea,  dat  dat  man  wants  to  take 
our  Jack  away !     It  am  dreadful !  " 

"  Yes,  Ben;  I  do  not  know  how  I  can  endure 
it." 

"  He  don't  look  like  Jack  one  bit ;  not  one  bit, 
missus ! " 


HO  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  I  know  it,  Ben.  He  says  Jack  resembles  his 
brother  Walter." 

"  Maybe  he  dun  nebber  had  a  brudder  Walter." 

"  Evidently  you  do  not  believe  him?  " 

"  No,  I  don't." 

"  Where  did  you  meet  him  ?  " 

"  He  cum  to  de  boathouse,  and  got  me  to  row 
him  ober  to  de  wrack." 

"  You  took  him  there.  What  did  he  want  at 
the  wreck?  " 

"  I  dunno  dat,  missus.  He  tole  me  to  go  away 
fer  an  hour  or  so.  He  went  below  in  de  wrack, 
out  ob  sight." 

"  Perhaps  he  was  after  something  belonging  to 
the  past.  Did  he  bring  anything  away  with 
him?" 

"  I  aint  suah  about  dat,  missus.  When  I 
rowed  him  ashore  he  had  a  tin  box  hidden  away 
under  his  coat,  but  he  might  have  had  dat  when 
I  took  him  ober." 

"  How  large  a  box  ?  " 

"  About  dis  size,"  and  Ben  held  out  his  hands. 

"  He  wouldn't  be  likely  to  take  such  a  box  to 
the  wreck  with  him.  He  must  have  found  it  on 
the  ship,"  went  on  Mrs.  Ruthven,  with  interest. 

"  Where  could  he  find  it,  missus  ?  De  folks 
around  yeah  has  tuk  every t'ing  off  dat  wrack  long 
ago." 


JACK  SPEAKS  HIS  MIND.  til 

"  Perhaps  not.  To  tell  the  truth,  Ben,  I  do  hot 
like  that  man's  manner  at  all." 

"  No  more  do  I,  missus.  He's  got  a  bad  eye, 
he  has,"  responded  the  colored  man  warmly. 

"  If  you  see  him  again,  Ben,  I  wish  you  would 
watch  him  closely." 

"  I  will  do  it,  missus.     Yo'  can  trust  Ole  Ben." 

"  You  may  be  able  to  learn  something  impor- 
tant." 

"  If  I  do,  I'll  bring  de  news  to  yo'  directly, 
missus." 

"  Perhaps  you  had  better  follow  him  now," 
went  on  Mrs.  Ruthven  suddenly.  "  If  he  goes  to 
the  battlefield,  you  can  come  back." 

"  I  will,  missus,"  and  in  a  moment  more  Ben 
was  off. 

Meanwhile  Marion  had  gone  up  to  Jack's  room 
and  knocked  on  the  door.  At  first  there  was  ho 
answer,  and  the  girl  knocked  again. 

"  Who  is  it  ?  "  came  in  a  half-choked  voice. 

"  It  is  I,  Marion.     Can't  I  come  in?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Jack,  and  Marion  entered 
the  room  and  sat  down  beside  our  hero  on  the 
bed. 

"  Oh,  Jack,  I'm  so  sorry  for  you !  "  was  all  she 
could  say. 

"  Marion,  do  you  honestly  think  that  man  is  my 
father?  "  he  questioned  anxiously. 


112  YO  UNG   CA  P  TA  IN  J  A  CK. 

"  I  don't  know  what  to  say,  Jack.  It's  all  so 
strange." 

"  If  he  was  my  father  it  seems  to  me  I  ought  to 
feel  differently  toward  him." 

"  Perhaps  it's  the  shock,  Jack." 

"  No,  it  isn't.  I  could  never  love  that  man  as 
a  son  ought  to  love  his  father,"  went  on  our  hero 
impetuously. 

"  Hush!  you  mustn't  talk  so!  " 

"  I  can't  help  it.  I  hated  that  man  when  we 
met  on  the  bridge — and — and  I  hate  him  still !  " 

"Oh,  Jack!" 

"  It's  true,  Marion.  I  don't  see  why  he  wanted 
to  come  here.  I  was  happy  enough,  with  you  and 
mother." 

"  He  hasn't  taken  you  away  yet,  Jack.  Mother 
will  make  him  prove  his  claim  first,  never  fear. 
She  feels  as  badly  almost  as  do  you." 

"  To  me  the  whole  story  sounds  unreasonable, 
Marion.  If  there  is  a  big  fortune  in  the  back- 
ground, that  man  may  only  be  scheming  to  get  it." 

"  But,  if  that  is  true,  why  doesn't  he  ignore  you 
and  keep  the  money  for  himself?  " 

"  I  don't  know — excepting  it  may  be  that  he 
wants  me  in  order  to  make  his  claim  stronger,  or 
something  like  that.  I  don't  know  much  about 
law." 

"  Neither  do  I.     But  if  it  comes  to  the  worst, 


JACK  SPEAKS  HIS  MIND.  113 

mother  will  get  a  lawyer  and  make  that  man  prove 
everything  he  says." 

The  two  talked  the  matter  over  for  a  while,  and 
gradually  Jack  grew  calmer.  But  look  at  it  from 
every  possible  light,  he  could  not  make  himself  be- 
lieve that  Dr.  Mackey  was  his  father. 

Presently  Mrs.  Ruthven  entered  the  chamber 
and  also  sat  down  to  comfort  our  hero. 

"  He  is  certainly  a  strange  man,"  said  she,  re- 
ferring to  the  surgeon.  "  He  went  to  the  wreck 
and  was  aboard  alone  for  some  time,  so  Old  Ben 
tells  me." 

"What  did  he  do?" 

"  Ben  doesn't  know." 

"  I  shall  visit  the  wreck  again  before  long  and 
make  a  search,  said  Jack. 

The  three  talked  the  matter  over  for  several 
hours,  but  reached  no  further  conclusions.  Jack 
expected  the  doctor  back  the  next  day,  but  he  did 
not  appear,  nor  did  he  show  himself  for  some  time 
to  come.  In  the  meantime  things  of  great  impor- 
tance happened. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

CAPTAIN    JACK    AT    THE    FRONT. 

Two  days  after  the  conversation  recorded  in 
the  last  chapter  the  folks  living  at  the  Ruthven 
plantation  were  disturbed  at  daybreak  by  the  dis- 
tant firing  of  cannon,  which  continued  for  over 
two  hours,  gradually  drawing  closer  and  closer. 

"  What  can  this  mean  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Ruthven, 
in  alarm,  as  she  moved  to  the  window.  "  Can  the 
Yankees  be  pressing  our  army  back  again  ?  " 

"  I  will  take  the  spyglass  and  go  to  the  roof," 
said  Jack.  "  Perhaps  I'll  be  able  to  see  some- 
thing." 

Armed  with  the  glass  he  made  his  way  to  the 
garret  of  the  plantation  home,  and  then  up  a  lad- 
der leading  to  a  scuttle  of  the  roof.  Marion,  as 
anxious  as  anybody,  came  after  him. 

Standing  on  the  roof,  Jack  adjusted  the  spy- 
glass and  gave  a  long  look  in  the  direction  from 
whence  the  sounds  were  proceeding. 

"  What  do  you  see,  Jack  ?  " 

"  I  can  see  nothing  but  smoke,"  he  answered. 


CAPTAIN  JACK  AT   THE  FRONT.  US 

"  Some  is  over  at  Bannock's  woods  and  the  other 
near  Townley  church." 

"  Don't  you  see  any  of  our  soldiers?  " 

"  No.  The  trees  are  in  the  way,  and  all  I  can 
see  is  a  stretch  of  the  bay  road.  Hark !  the  can- 
non are  at  it  again !  " 

"  But  the  sounds  are  closer,"  persisted  Marion. 

"  That  is  true.  They  must  be — hulto !  there 
come  our  men,  along  the  bottom  of  the  woods — 
they  are  retreating!  " 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  they  are  coming  this  way, 
Jack?" 

"  Yes,  Marion.  See  for  yourself !  "  And  he 
handed  the  girl  the  spyglass. 

Marion  took  a  long  look,  and  gave  a  sigh. 
"  You  are  right,  our  brave  soldiers  are  suffering 
another  defeat.  Perhaps  they  will  come  to  our 
plantation !  " 

"  If  they  do,  we  ought  to  do  all  we  can  for  the 
wounded,"  answered  Jack  quickly. 

"  To  be  sure.  Oh,  see!  they  are  running  this 
way  as  fast  as  they  can — fully  two  regiments  of 
them!" 

Again  Jack  took  the  glass.  "  Yes,  and  now  I 
can  see  the  Yankees.  My,  what  a  lot  of  them! 
At  least  twice  as  many  men  as  there  are  on  our 
side.  I  really  believe  they  are  going  to  push  on 
to  here,  Marion !  " 


Il6  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

At  this  the  girl  turned  pale.  "  And  if  they 
do?" 

"  We  must  defend  ourselves  as  best  we  can,"  an- 
swered Jack.  "  Do  you  know  what  I  am  going  to 
do  ?     Call  out  the  Home  Guard !  " 

"  But,  Jack,  you  may  be  shot  down  ?  " 

"  If  I  am,  it  will  be  only  at  my  post  of  duty, 
Marion." 

So  speaking,  Jack  leaped  down  the  ladder  into 
the  garret  and  ran  downstairs.  He  met  Old  Ben 
just  coming  into  the  house,  accompanied  by 
Darcy  Gilbert. 

"  Darcy!  just  the  fellow  I  want  to  see!  And 
Old  Ben,  too!" 

"  The  Yankees  are  coming!  "  answered  Darcy. 

"  I  know  it,  Darcy.  I  was  going  to  call  out 
the  Home  Guard." 

"  Exactly  my  idea." 

"  Old  Ben  can  help  you  get  the  boys  together." 

"  'Deed  I  will,  Massah  Jack,  if  yo'  wants  me 
to,"  responded  the  colored  man. 

Darcy  and  Ben  were  soon  off  and  Jack  re- 
entered the  house,  to  be  confronted  by  Mrs.  Ruth- 
ven. 

"  What  are  you  up  to,  Jack  ?  " 

"  I  have  called  out  our  Home  Guard,  mother. 
The  Yankees  shall  not  destroy  this  plantation  or 
molest  you  and  Marion." 


CAPTAIN  JACK  AT   THE  FRONT.  "7 

"  You  must  do  nothing  rash,  Jack." 

"  I  will  be  careful.  But  this  is  private  prop- 
erty, and  you  and  Marion  are  ladies,  and  our 
enemy  must  remember  this,"  responded  Jack,  and 
ran  off  to  don  his  uniform  and  his  sword. 

Inside  of  half  an  hour  the  members  of  Jack's 
company  began  to  appear,  until  there  were  nine- 
teen boys  assembled.  Each  had  his  gun  or  his 
pistol  fully  loaded,  and  the  appearance  made  by 
the  lads,  when  drawn  up  in  a  line,  was  quite  an 
imposing  one. 

"  Ise  got  a  pistol,"  said  Old  Ben,  showing  a 
long,  old-fashioned  "  hoss "  pistol  on  the  sly. 
"  If  anybody  tries  to  shoot  Massah  Jack,  he  will 
heah  from  dis  darky,  suah." 

"  Thank  you,  Ben,"  answered  our  hero.  "  You 
always  were  true  to  me.  If  ever  I  grow  up  to  be 
a  man  and  get  rich,  I  shan't  forget  you,"  and  this 
made  Old  Ben  grin  from  ear  to  ear. 

Presently  there  was  a  clatter  on  the  road  be- 
yond the  plantation,  and  a  Confederate  battery, 
drawn  by  horses  covered  with  foam,  swept  past. 

"  The  Yanks  are  coming !  "  was  the  cry.  "  Get 
indoors  and  hide  your  jewelry  and  silverware !  " 

"  They  are  coming !  "  muttered  our  hero.  He 
called  the  boys  together.  "  Home  Guard,  atten- 
tion !  "  he  cried  out.  "  Line  up  here.  Carry 
arms !     Boys,  are  you  willing  to  stand  by  me  and 


Ii8  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

help  me  to  keep  my  mother's  house  from  being1 
ransacked  ?  " 

"  Yes!  yes !  "  was  the  ready  reply. 

"  Hurrah  for  Captain  Jack !  "  put  in  several  of 
the  more  enthusiastic  ones. 

"  Thank  you,  boys.  We  won't  fight  unless  we 
have  to.  But  if  it  comes  to>  that,  let  everybody 
give  a  good  account  of  himself." 

"We  will!     We  will!" 

Soon  another  battery  swept  by  the  house,  the 
horses  almost  ready  to  drop  from  exhaustion. 
Marion  saw  this  and  whispered  to  her  mother. 

"  Let  me  do  it,  mother,"  she  pleaded. 

"  If  you  so  much  wish  it,"  answered  Mrs. 
Ruthven. 

With  all  speed  the  girl  ran  to  the  barn  and 
brought  out  her  own  horse,  a  beautiful  black,  and 
ran  him  to  the  road. 

"  Take  my  horse  and  hitch  him  to  yonder  can- 
non !  "  she  cried.  "  He  is  fresh — he  will  help  you 
save  the  piece !  " 

"  Good  fer  you,  young  lady !  "  shouted  one  of 
the  cannoneers.  "  We've  got  friends  yet,  it 
seems !  "  The  horse  was  taken,  and  the  cannon 
moved  on  at  a  swifter  pace  than  ever. 

"  That  was  grand  of  you,  Marion !  "  cried  Jack. 
He  knew  just  how  much  she  thought  of  the  steed 
she  had  sacrificed,  her  pet  saddle  horse. 


CAPTAIN  JACK  AT   THE  FRONT.  U9 

And  now  came  several  of  the  hospital  corps, 
carrying  the  wounded  on  stretchers,  and  also  sev- 
eral ambulances.  In  the  meantime  the  shooting 
came  closer  and  closer,  and  several  shells  sped 
over  the  plantation,  to  burst  with  a  crash  in  the 
woods  beyond. 

"  The  battle  is  at  hand !  God  defend  us ! " 
murmured  Mrs.  Ruthven. 

Several  Confederates  with  stretchers  were 
crossing  the  lawn.  On  the  stretchers  lay  three 
soldiers,  all  badly  wounded. 

"  We  can't  carry  them  any  further,  madam," 
said  one  of  the  party.  "  Will  you  be  kind  enough 
to  take  them  in?  " 

"  Yes,  yes !  "  cried  Mrs.  Ruthven.  "  Bring 
them  in  at  once.  We  will  do  our  best  for  them !  " 
And  she  summoned  the  servants  to  prepare  cots 
on  the  lower  floor,  since  it  would  have  been  awk- 
ward to  take  the  wounded  upstairs. 

The  stretcher-carriers  were  followed  by  others, 
until  six  wounded  Confederates  lay  on  cots  in  the 
sitting  room.  A  young  surgeon  was  at  hand,  and 
he  went  to  work  without  delay,  and  Mrs.  Ruthven 
and  Marion  assisted. 

And  now  the  army  was  passing  by  the  planta- 
tion, some  on  foot,  some  on  horseback,  and  all  ex- 
hausted, ragged,  covered  with  dust  and  dirt,  and 
many  badly  wounded.     The  shooting  of  small- 


120  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

arms  had  ceased,  but  the  distant  cannon  still  kept 
booming,  and  occasionally  a  shell  burst  in  the 
vicinity.  As  the  last  of  the  Confederates  swept 
by  Jack  ran  down  to  the  roadway. 

"  The  enemy  are  coming !  "  he  said,  after  a  long 
look  ahead.  "  They  will  be  here  in  less  than  ten 
minutes." 

Soon  the  trampling  of  horses'  hoofs  was  heard, 
and  then  came  the  occasional  blast  of  a  trumpet. 
At  last  a  troop  of  cavalry  swept  by,  paying  no 
attention  to  the  Ruthven  homestead. 

The  cavalry  was  followed  at  a  distance  by  a 
company  of  rascally  looking  guerrillas — followers 
of  every  army — who  fight  simply  for  the  sake  of 
looting  afterward. 

"To  the  house!"  cried  the  captain  of  the 
guerrillas,  a  man  named  Sandy  Barnes, 

"  Company,  attention !  "  cried  out  Jack,  and 
drew  up  his  command  across  the  lawn  in  front  of 
the  homestead. 

"  Halt !  "  shouted  Captain  Barnes.  And  then 
he  added :  '  What  are  you  boys  doing  here  ?  " 

"  We  are  the  guard  of  this  house,"  answered 
Jack,  quietly  but  firmly. 

"  Guard  nothin' !  Out  of  our  way !  "  growled 
the  guerrilla. 

"  We  will  not  get  out  of  your  way,  and  you  wilt 
advance  at  your  peril." 


CAPTAIN  JACK  AT   THE  FRONT.  12 1 

"  What,  will  you  boys  show  fight  ?  "  queried  the 
guerrilla  curiously. 

"  We  will !  "  came  from  the  boys.  "  Keep 
back!" 

"  This  is  private  property  and  must  be  re- 
spected," went  on  Jack.  "  Besides,  the  house  is 
now  a  hospital,  for  there  are  six  wounded  Con- 
federates inside,  in  charge  of  a  surgeon." 

The  guerrilla  muttered  something  under  his 
breath. 

"  Come  on,  anyhow !  "  shouted  somebody  in  a 
rear  rank.    "  It  looks  like  a  house  worth  visitin' !  " 

"  Try  to  enter  the  house  and  we  will  shoot!  " 
went  on  Jack,  his  face  growing  white. 

"  Why,  youngster,  you  don't  know  who  you 
are  talking  to,"  growled  Barnes. 

He  stepped  forward  as  if  to  enter  the  house  by 
a  side  door,  when  Jack  ran  in  front  of  him  and 
raised  his  sword. 

"  Not  another  step,  if  you  value  your  life !  " 

"  Out  of  my  way,  boy !  "  And  now  the  guer- 
rilla raised  his  own  sword,  while  some  of  his  men 
raised  their  guns. 

It  was  truly  a  trying  moment,  and  Marion,  at 
the  window,  looked  on  with  bated  breath.  "  Oh, 
if  Jack  should  be  killed !  "  she  thought. 

But  now  there  came  a  shout  from  the  road,  and 
there  appeared  a  regiment  of  regular  Federal 


I2»  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

troops.  The  guerrillas  saw  them  coming,  and 
gazed  anxiously  at  their  leader. 

"  It's  Colonel  Stanton's  regiment !  "  muttered 
a  guerrilla  lieutenant.  "  He  won't  stand  no  non- 
sense, cap." 

"  I  know  it,"  growled  Barnes.  "  Right  face, 
forward  march !  "  he  shouted,  and,  as  quickly  as 
they  had  come,  the  guerrillas  left  the  plantation 
and  took  to  a  side  road  leading  to  the  distant  hills. 

But  the  Federal  regiment  had  seen  them,  and  as 
the  guerrillas  ran  they  received  a  volley  which  lay 
several  of  them  low.  They  were  virtually  out- 
laws, and  knew  it,  and  lost  no  time  in  getting  out 
of  sight. 

"  Halt !  "  shouted  the  Federal  colonel  as  he  rode 
up  across  the  lawn,  and  one  after  another  the  com- 
panies behind  him  stopped  in  their  march.  Then 
the  Northerner  came  closer  to  Jack  and  the  others 
of  the  Home  Guard. 

"  What's  the  matter  here  ?  What  does  this 
mean  ?  " 

Jack  gazed  up  into  the  face  of  the  Federal  colo- 
nel and  saw  that  it  was  an  unusually  kindly  one. 
"  We  are  defending  this  home,  sir;  that's  all.  I 
reckon  those  fellows  who  just  ran  off  wanted  to 
ransack  it." 

"  The  scoundrels !  I've  been  after  them  twice 
before.     Was  anybody  hurt  ?  " 


CAPTAIN  JACK  AT   THE  FRONT.  1 23 

"  No,  sir." 

"  You  are  a  young  Confederate,  I  presume?  " 

"  I  am  the  captain  of  these  boys.  We  call  our- 
selves the  Home  Guard.  We  wish  to  protect  our 
homes,  that's  all." 

At  this  the  face  of  the  colonel  broke  out  into  a 
warm  smile. 

"  You  do  yourself  credit,  my  lad.  You  could 
not  do  better  than  protect  your  homes  and  your 
mothers  and  sisters.     Whose  place  is  this?  " 

"  Mrs.  Alice  Ruthven's." 

"  Did  the  Confederate  battery  just  retreat  past 
here?" 

"  I  cannot  answer  that  question,  sir." 

"  Well,  it  doesn't  matter  much.  We  have  got 
them  on  the  run,  and  that  was  all  we  wanted  for 
the  present." 

"  I  hope  you  don't  intend  to  do  anything  to  this 
place,"  went  on  Jack  anxiously.  "  It  is  private 
property,  and,  besides,  we  have  six  wounded  men 
here,  in  charge  of  a  surgeon." 

"  An  officer  who  is  a  gentleman  always  respects 
private  property,"  was  the  grave  answer.  "  As 
long  as  you  do  nothing  treacherous,  you  have 
nothing  to  fear  from  me  or  my  men."  And  so 
speaking,  the  colonel  rode  back  to  the  road. 

"  A  fine-looking  man,  and  a  gentleman,  if  ever 
there  was  one,"  thought  Jack.     "  What  a  differ- 


124  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

ence  between  him  and  that  fellow  who  threatened 
me  with  his  sword!  " 

"  Will  they  come  back,  Jack  ?  "  asked  Mrs. 
Ruthven,  as  she  came  outside. 

"  I  don't  know,  mother.  But  the  officer  said 
we  had  nothing  to  fear." 

"  He  looked  like  an  honest  gentleman." 

"  So  I  thought.  How  are  those  wounded  men 
making  out?  " 

"  One  is  already  dead,  poor  fellow.  But  the 
surgeon  has  hopes  of  the  others." 

"  Is  Marion  helping  the  doctor?  " 

"  Yes.  I  want  her  to  come  away  from  the 
awful  sights,  but  she  will  not.  Jack,  she  is  almost 
as  brave  as  you  are !  " 

"  Pooh !  I'm  not  so  brave,  mother." 

"  Yes,  you  are.  Why,  that  rascal  was  going 
to  run  you  through  with  his  sword !  " 

"  Dat  he  was,"  put  in  Old  Ben.  "  But  let  me 
tell  yo'  sumt'ing,  missus.  I  had  dat  feller  covered 
wid  dis  hoss-pistol  ob  mine.  If  he  had  tried  to 
slew  Jack  dat  would  hab  been  de  end  of  the  rascal, 
suah  pop !  " 

"  Good  for  you,  Ben !  Continue  to  look  out 
for  Jack,  and  I  will  reward  you  handsomely,"  con- 
cluded Mrs.  Ruthven,  and  returned  to  the  house. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
colonel  stanton's  visit. 

The  Federal  regiment  went  into  camp  up  the 
road,  but  a  short  distance  from  the  Ruthven  home. 
The  coming  of  the  soldiers  filled  the  whole  neigh- 
borhood with  alarm,  but  it  was  soon  evident  that 
Colonel  Stanton  was  a  strict  disciplinarian  and 
did  not  countenance  any  pilfering,  and  then  the 
inhabitants  became  more  quiet.  In  the  mean- 
while the  Confederate  troops  had  departed  for 
parts  unknown.  But  another  battle  was  not  far 
off. 

Attached  to  Colonel  Stanton's  regiment  was  a 
young  man  named  Harry  Powell,  a  surgeon,  who 
was  a  nephew  to  Mrs,  Ruthven,  although  the  two 
had  not  seen  each  other  for  years.  Powell  was  a 
fine  fellow,  and  well  liked  by  all  who  knew  him, 
the  single  exception  to  the  case  being  St.  John 
Ruthven,  who  was  too  much  of  a  sneak  to  admire 
anybody  so  free-hearted  and  manly. 

Harry  Powell  had  drifted  to  the  North  several 


126  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

years  before,  and  established  a.  practice  in  Phila- 
delphia. He  was  thoroughly  opposed  to  slavery, 
and  when  the  war  broke  out  lost  no  time  in  join- 
ing the  Federal  troops,  much  to  the  horror  of  his 
two  aunts  and  his  cousin  Marion.  As  for  St. 
John,  that  spendthrift  said  it  was  "  just  like 
Harry,  who  had  no  head  on  his  shoulders,  any- 
way." 

On  the  day  following  the  arrival  of  the  Federal 
troops  Old  Ben  was  making  his  way  to  his  cabin 
for  some  things,  when  he  ran  across  Colonel  Stan- 
ton on  his  way  to  the  Ruthven  mansion.  The 
colonel  was  accompanied  by  Harry  Powell,  but 
the  young  surgeon  now  wore  a  heavy  mustache, 
and  for  the  moment  the  old  colored  man  did  not 
recognize  him. 

"  See  here,  my  man,  I  want  to  talk  to  you,"  be- 
gan Colonel  Stanton,  as  he  held  up  his  hand  for 
Ben  to  halt. 

"  Yes,  sah,"  and  Old  Ben  touched  his  hat  re- 
spectfully. 

"  Did  I  understand  that  this  is  the  plantation  of 
Mrs.  Alice  Ruthven  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sah." 

"Why,  it's  Old  Ben!"  cried  Harry  Powell, 
striding  forward.  "Don't  you  remember  me,  you 
old  rascal?"  and  he  slapped  the  colored  man  on 
the  back. 


COLONEL   STANTON'S    VISIT.  1 27 

Old  Ben  stared  in  astonishment  for  a  moment, 
and  then  his  ebony  face  broke  out  into  a  broad 
smile. 

"  Bless  my  soul,  if  it  aint  Massah  Harry 
Powell!" 

"  Of  course  it  is,  Ben." 

"  Yo'  is  so  changed  I  didn't  know  yo',  sah." 

"  I  suppose  I  am  changed,  Ben.  Is  my  aunt 
at  home?  " 

"  Yes,  sah." 

"  Good.     I  want  very  much  to  see  her." 

Old  Ben  shook  his  head  dubiously. 

"  Massah  Harry,  yo'  aint  gwine  an'  joined  de 
Yanks,  hab  yo'  ?  "  he  questioned. 

"  Yes,  Ben ;  I  am  fighting  for  the  old  flag." 

"  Yo'  aunt  an'  Miss  Marion  will  be  wery  sorry 
to  heah  dat,  sah." 

"  I  presume  so.  But  that  cannot  be  helped.  I 
did  as  my  heart  dictated,  Ben.  I  want  to  see  all 
colored  folks  free,  as  you  are." 

"  Dat  would  be  wery  nice  certainly,  sah,  but— 
but " 

"  It  was  too  bad  we  had  to-  fight,  you  mean." 
Harry  Powell  looked  up.  "  Who  is  that  com- 
ing?" 

"  Dat  am  Massah  Jack,  sah?  " 

"  Oh !  Why,  when  I  was  here  before  he  was 
nothing  but  a  little  shaver."      The  young  sur- 


128  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

geon  raised  his  voice.  "  Hullo,  Jack !  come 
here." 

Wondering  who  it  was  who  was  calling  him 
so  familiarly,  Jack  came  forward.  He  started 
back  upon  seeing  Harry  Powell,  and  in  a  Federal 
uniform. 

"You!"  he  cried. 

"  Yes,  Jack.  Come,  won't  you  shake  hands 
with  me?  "  and  the  young  surgeon  smiled  good- 
naturedly. 

"  Well — that  is — I  don't  like  to  shake  hands 
with  a — a  Yankee,"  stammered  Jack. 

"  Oh,  so  you  object  to  my  uniform?  " 

"  I  do,  Harry.  Why  did  you  join  the  Yan- 
kees?" 

"  Because  I  thought  it  best.  If  you  won't 
shake  hands  with  me  as  a  Yankee,  won't  you  shake 
hands  as  a  cousin?  " 

At  this  our  hero's  face  relaxed,  for  he  had  al- 
ways liked  Harry  Powell  immensely. 

"  Yes,  I'll  do  that,"  he  said,  and  they  shook 
hands  warmly. 

"  And  how  is  your  mother  these  days,  Jack?  " 

"  Quite  well,  but  a  good  deal  alarmed." 

"  She  need  not  be  alarmed  because  of  us,  Jack. 
Is  that  not  so,  Colonel  Stanton  ?  " 

The  colonel  bowed.  His  manner  was  so  pleas- 
ant that  Jack  felt  more  drawn  to  him  than  ever. 


COLONEL  STANTON'S   VISIT.  ™9 

"You  are  kind,"  he  said.  "I  thought  all 
Yankees  were  brutes." 

"They  are  far  from  that,  Jack.  But  I  was 
going  to  ask,  can  I  see  my  aunt  ?" 

"  I  suppose  so.  But  she'll  be  hurt  to  see  you  in 
that  uniform." 

"  Never  mind,  I'll  risk  that,"  rejoined  Harry 

Powell. 

Old  Ben  continued  on  his  way,  and  Jack  and 
the  others  walked  toward  the  Ruthven  plantation. 
Then  our  hero  ran  ahead,  to  tell  Mrs.  Ruthven  of 
the  visitors. 

"A  fine,  manly  young  fellow,  Powell,"  re- 
marked Colonel  Stanton,  when  he  and  the  young 
surgeon  were  left  alone. 

"  Yes,    he   has    turned   out    a   first-rate   lad, 

colonel." 

"  I  presume,  were  he  older,  he  would  be  at  the 
head  of  a  regular  Confederate  command,  instead 
of  being  at  the  head  of  this  boyish  Home  Guard." 

"  Undoubtedly,  sir.  But  I  am  glad  he  is  not  in 
the  regular  ranks." 

"Why?" 

"  I  should  hate  to  fight  against  him,  sir." 

"  I  see.  Well,  this  war  has  brought  brother 
against  brother,  and  worse.  To  tell  the  truth,  I 
heartily  wish  it  was  over,  myself." 

In  a  few  minutes  more  Mrs.  Ruthven  appeared, 


13°  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

her  face  full  of  sorrow.  As  she  approached 
Harry  Powell,  the  tears  stood  in  her  eyes. 

"  My  dear  aunt,  how  glad  I  am  to  see  you,  after 
this  long  separation !"  cried  the  young  man  im- 
pulsively. 

"  Oh,  Harry !  Harry !  How  can  you  come  here 
in  that  uniform  ?  "  she  returned. 

"  Let  us  speak  of  that  later,  Aunt  Alice.  Allow 
me  to  introduce  you  to  my  superior,  Colonel  Stan- 
ton." 

Mrs.  Ruthven  looked  at  the  colonel  steadily, 
and  he  bowed  gravely.  Each  saw  that  the  other 
was  of  good  blood  and  breeding.  The  lady  of 
the  plantation  dropped  her  eyes. 

"  Colonel  Stanton,  courtesy  bids  me  say  you 
are  welcome,  but — I  beg  you  to  consider  that  I  am 
a  Southern  woman,"  she  faltered. 

"  I  hope,  Mrs.  Ruthven,  you  will  not  look  upon 
me  as  an  enemy." 

"  Are  you  not  in  arms  against  my  country?  " 

"  Against  your  section,  yes,  but  not  against 
your  country,  madam.  I  fight  under  the  flag 
which  belongs  alike  to  the  South  and  the 
North." 

At  this  Mrs.  Ruthven  shook  her  head  sadly. 

"  I  cannot  agree  with  you,  sir.  But  let  that 
drop.  May  I  ask  the  news?  Have  our  troops 
been  hopelessly  defeated  ?  ' 


COLONEL   STANTON'S    VISIT.  131 

"  I  cannot  answer  you,  Mrs.  Ruthven.  Our 
side  has  won  a.  battle  and  the  Confederate  troops 
have  taken  to  the  mountain  side.  They  may  en- 
gage us  again  before  long." 

"  Your  troops  are  encamped  but  a  short  dis- 
tance from  here,  I  believe?  " 

"  It  is  true." 

"  Are  we  to  consider  ourselves  as  prisoners  of 
war  ?  " 

"  By  no  means,  Mrs.  Ruthven.  I  am  informed 
that  your  house  is  somethng  of  a  hospital.  Let  it 
remain  so." 

"  Thank  you." 

"  You  certainly  did  not  expect  ill  treatment, 
did  you  ?  "  went  on  the  colonel  curiously. 

"  You  seem  to  be  a  gentleman,  I  must  admit, 
but  I  have  hear  such  stories  of  violence  and  rapine 
that  I  have  some  reasons  to  be  apprehensive." 

"  The  stories  are  in  most  cases  baseless  and 
without  truth.  I  hope  you  are  not  prejudiced 
enough  to  think  that  Federal  officers  are  destitute 
of  honor  and  humanity.  Every  true  soldier,  no 
matter  under  what  banner  he  draws  his  sword, 
respects  a  lady,  and  would  be  the  last  to  injure  or 
annoy  her." 

"  I  can  believe  that  of  you,  sir,  but  you  are  an 
exception." 

"  I  cannot  accept  the  compliment.      I  know 


132  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK,      . 

many  of  my  brother  officers,  and  I  am  glad  to  say 
that  what  is  true  of  me  is  true  also  of  them." 

"  But  your  President,  Mr.  Lincoln,  I  am  told 
is  a  cruel  monster,  intent  upon  the  destruction  of 
the  South." 

"  You  are  sadly  misinformed,  Mrs.  Ruthven. 
There  never  beat  a  warmer,  kinder  heart  than  that 
of  Abraham  Lincoln,  I  know,  for  I  have  seen  him 
and  spoken  with  him,  and  I  know  that  no  one  sor- 
rows more  over  the  stricken  homes  and  bloodshed 
of  this  unhappy  strife.  He  is  misjudged  now, 
but  posterity  will  do  him  justice." 

"  I  cannot  believe  it.  If  he  deplores  the  evils  of 
war,  why  does  he  not  end  it  at  once,  and  order  his 
hordes  of  Yankee  invaders  to  throw  down  their 
arms?  " 

"  Because  the  life  of  the  nation  is  at  stake.  I 
do  not  wish  to  speak  severely  of  your  leaders. 
They  are  actuated  by  a  mistaken  sense  of  right. 
Amid  the  clash  of  arms,  Reason  is  silent.  We 
are  fighting,  not  against  the  South,  but  for  its  best 
good." 

"  You  plead  well,  Colonel  Stanton,  but  I  am  not 
convinced,"  answered  the  lady  of  the  house. 

At  that  moment  Jack  came  up  again,  bringing 
Marion. 

"  Marion !  "  cried  Harry  Powell,  and  ran  up 
to  her. 


COLONEL   STANTON'S    VISIT,  133 

"  Harry !  "  she  returned,  and  put  out  her  hand 
to  him. 

"Will  you  shake  hands  with  a  Yankee?"  he 
asked.  "  Jack  was  rather  backward  about 
doing  it." 

"  I  am  always  ready  to  shake  hands  with  my 
cousin,"  she  returned,  and  blushed. 

Colonel  Stanton  was  then  introduced,  and  a 
minute  later  Harry  Powell  asked  about  St.  John 
Ruthven. 

"  Is  he  in  the  ranks,  aunt?  "  he  questioned. 

"  He  is  not,"  answered  Mrs.  Ruthven,  and  drew 
down  her  mouth. 

"  He  cannot  leave  his  mother,"  put  in  Marion 
contemptuously. 

"  Evidently  you  think  he  ought  to  go  ?  " 

"  He  is  a  strong,  able-bodied  man.  I  would 
go,  were  I  in  his  place." 

"  So  would  I,"  put  in  Jack. 

"  Then  he  isn't  very  patriotic." 

"  Oh,  yes  he  is — in  words,"  returned  Marion. 

"  But  in  deeds "     She  shrugged  her  pretty 

shoulders,  and  that  meant  a  good  deal. 

Colonel  Stanton  and  Mrs.  Ruthven  entered  the 
house,  followed  by  Jack,  and  presently  Marion 
and  the  young  surgeon  found  themselves  alone  in 
the  garden. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

A    SCENE  IN    THE    SUMMERHOUSE. 

In  years  gone  by  Marion  and  Harry  Powell,  as 
little  girl  and  boy,  had  thought  a  good  deal  of 
each  other. 

Now,  as  the  pair  faced  once  more,  much  of  the 
old  feelings  came  back,  and  pretty  Marion  found 
herself  blushing  deeply,  she  could  not  tell  exactly 
why. 

She  despised  Harry's  uniform,  yet  she  felt  that 
he  looked  remarkably  handsome  in  it,  and  not 
such  an  awful  bear  of  a  Yankee,  after  all.  The 
manliness  of  the  young  surgeon's  superior  had 
likewise  made  a  deep  impression  upon  her. 

Before  going  into  the  house  Mrs.  Ruthven  had 
invited  the  young  man  to  remain  to  dinner,  and  he 
had  readily  accepted  the  invitation.  But  he  was 
by  no  means  anxious  to  go  into  the  house  with  the 
others. 

"  It  is  so  nice  and  cool  in  the  garden,  Marion," 
he  said.  "  Let  us  remain  out  here  for  a  while,  if 
you  have  no  objections." 

"  As  you  will,  Harry.     But  we  need  not  stand. 

*3+ 


A    SCENE  IN   THE   SUMMERHOUSE.         135 

Let  us  go  down  to  the  old  summerhouse.  Of 
course  you  remember  that  place." 

"  To  be  sure,  Marion — I  remember  it  only  too 
well.  How  you  used  to  bring  in  the  flowers  and 
make  bouquets  and  wreaths,  and  open  a  flower 
store  and  bid  me  buy " 

"  And  you  wouldn't  buy,  more  than  half  the 
time,"  she  laughed.  "  You  always  were  some- 
what contrary,  Harry.  Is  that  what  made  you 
turn  Yankee  ?  " 

"  I  hardly  think  so.  I  want  to  see  all  the  slaves 
set  free." 

"Is  that  all?" 

"  Isn't  that  enough  ?  " 

"  Most  Yankees  want  to  see  the  South  broken 
up  and  ruined." 

"  No !  no !     That  is  a  mistake." 

The  summerhouse  was  soon  gained,  and  she  sat 
down,  and  without  ceremony  he  took  a  seat  on  the 
bench  at  her  side. 

"  This  takes  me  back  ten  or  fifteen  years,"  he 
declared,  as  he  looked  around  at  the  familiar  sur- 
roundings. "  There  are  the  same  old  magnolias, 
with  the  swing,  and  the  same  old  rose  bush,  or  new 
ones  just  like  the  old.  Marion,  you  ought  to  be 
happy  here." 

"  I  was — until  the  war  broke  out,  and  poor 
papa  was  killed." 


136  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Yes,  that  was  a  shock,  and  I  felt  it  too,  when 
the  news  reached  me.  He  was  a  noble  man, 
Marion." 

"  §0  they  all  say,  Harry,  but  that  does  not  give 
him  back  to  us.  And  now  another  danger 
threatens  us." 

"  Another  danger?  You  mean  the  presence  of 
our  troops  here  ?  Marion,  no  harm  shall  come  to 
you,  if  I  can  prevent  it." 

"  But  I  do  not  mean  that.  It  is  concerning 
Jack." 

"  What  of  your  brother  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Harry,  he  is  just  like  a  brother  to  me, 
and  mamma  thinks  of  him  as  her  son!  Now  a 
stranger  has  appeared  on  the  scene,  and  he  wants 
to  take  Jack  away  from  us." 

"  A  stranger.     Who  ?  " 

"  A  Confederate  surgeon  named  Dr.  Mackey. 
He  claims  that  he  is  Jack's  father." 

"But  is  he?" 

"  We  do  not  believe  that  he  is.  But  he  says  he 
can  prove  it." 

"  This  is  news  certainly,  Marion.  Will  you 
give  me  the  particulars  ?  " 

"  I  will,"  and  she  did  so,  to  which  Harry  Powell 
listened  with  keen  interest. 

"  Humph !     And  Jack  does  not  like  the  man  ?  " 

"  No,  he  despises  him." 


A    SCENE  IN   THE  SUMMERHOUSE.         13 7 

"  That  will  make  it  awkward,  if  this  doctor's 
story  is  true." 

"  He  will  have  to  bring  strong  proofs  to  make 
me  believe  the  story,  I  can  tell  you  that." 

"  I  do  not  blame  you,  Marion."  The  young 
surgeon  mused  for  a  moment.  "  It  runs  in  my 
mind  that  I  have  heard  of  this  Dr.  Mackey  be- 
fore." 

"Where?" 

"  I  cannot  remember  now.  But  I  believe  it 
was  while  I  was  practicing  in  Philadelphia." 

"  Was  he  a  doctor  there?  " 

"  It  runs  in  my  mind  that  he  was  connected 
with  some  bogus  medical  institute  which  de- 
frauded people  through  the  mails.  But  I  am  not 
certain." 

"If  there  is  truth  in  this,  I  wish  you  would  look 
the  matter  up,  Harry.  Mamma  will  want  to 
know  all  she  can  of  Dr.  Mackey  before  she  gives 
up  Jack  to  him." 

"  I  will  do  my  best  for  you,  Marion.  I  love 
Jack,  too — although  he  was  very  young  when  I 
went  away,  if  you  will  remember." 

"  You  have  been  away  a  long  time,  Harry,"  she 
replied,  and  drew  a  long  breath. 

"  That  is  true,  and  I  realize  it  now,  although  I 
did  not  before."  He  gazed  steadily  into  her  face 
and  suddenly  caught  her  hand.     "  Dear  cousin, 


I38  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

cannot  you  forgive  me  for  going  over  to  the 
enemy?  "  he  pleaded. 

She  flushed  up.  "  I  ought  not  to,  Harry,  but — 
but " 

"  You  will,  nevertheless  ?  " 

"  I — I  will  think  of  it,"  she  faltered. 

"  We  were  very  intimate  when  I  went  away.  I 
would  not  wish  that  intimacy  broken  off." 

"  Were  we  intimate?  "  she  murmured  shyly. 

"  Yes,  indeed.  Don't  you  remember  it  ?  You 
used  to  sit  in  my  lap." 

"  How  shocking !  "  she  cried.  "  Are  you 
sure?" 

"  As  if  I  could  forget  it." 

"  You  seem  to  have  an  awfully  good  memory 
for  some  things,"  she  said  slowly. 

"  I  remember  something  more,  Marion.  We 
were  like  brother  and  sister  in  those  days,  and  you 
used  to  put  your  arms  around  my  neck  and  kiss 
me." 

"  I  don't  believe  I  ever  did  anything  so  dreadful, 
Harry!" 

"  I  remember  it  perfectly  well." 

"  Don't  you  think  we  had  better  go  into  the 
house  now  ?  " 

"  Don't  get  angry,  Marion.  But — but — I  al- 
ways did  think  a  lot  of  you,  and  always  shall — 
even  if  I  have  turned  Yankee." 


A    SCENE  IN   THE   SUMMERHOUSE.         139 

"  Yankee  or  not,  Harry,  you  will  always  be  very 
dear  to  me  as  my  cousin,"  she  returned  hastily. 

"  Speaking  of  cousins,  does  St.  John  come  here 
often?" 

"  Yes,  quite  often." 

"  I  suppose  he  comes  to  see  you  ?  " 

"  He  comes  to  see  mamma  and  me.  He  and 
Jack  are  not  very  good  friends." 

"  What,  doesn't  Jack  like  him?  " 

"  He  considers  St.  John  overbearing,  and  St. 
John  thinks  Jack  an  intruder,  and  possibly  of  low 
parentage." 

"  Is  St.  John  married  yet  ?  " 

"No."  * 

"  And  he  comes  here  quite  often,  you  say?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Perhaps  he  is  going — that  is,  he,  would 
like  to  marry  you,  Marion,"  blurted  out  Harry 
Powell. 

At  this  the  girl  flushed  crimson. 

"  Well — he  has  spoken  something  of  it,"  she 
replied,  in  a  low  voice. 

"  The  dickens  he  has !  " 

"  Cousin  Harry !  " 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Marion,  but — but — this  is 
not  pleasant  news." 

"  You  mustn't  get  rough,  Harry.  St.  John 
says  there  are  no  true  gentlemen  among  the  Yan- 


140  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

kees.  But  I  think  differently — now  I  have  met 
Colonel  Stanton." 

"  Oh,  confound  St.  John !  There  are  truer 
gentlemen  among  my  fellow  officers  than  he  will 
ever  be."  Harry  Powell  took  a  turn  around  the 
summerhouse.  "  But  I  forgot,  I  ought  not  to 
have  spoken  so  of  your  future  husband." 

"  Who  said  he  was  my  intended  husband  ?  " 

"  Why,  you  intimated  as  much." 

"  I  am  sure  I  did  not." 

"  It  is  the  same  thing.  You  said  he  had  spoken 
of  marriage  to  you." 

"  That  is  a  very  different  matter." 

Harry  Powell  took  another  turn  around  the 
summerhouse.  "  I  suppose  you  love  him,  though 
I  don't  understand  how  any  girl  could  love  such 
an  insufferable  bore." 

"  Harry,  aren't  you  prejudiced  against  St. 
John?" 

"  Perhaps  I  am.  But  seriously,  Marion,  what 
can  you  find  to  admire  in  St.  John  ?  " 

"  He  is  a  Ruthven." 

"That  is  true." 

"  If  I  married  him  I  would  still  remain  a  Ruth- 
ven." 

"  Then  why  not  remain  an  old  maid  and  like- 
wise a  Ruthven  ?  It  would  be  far  better,  take  my 
word  on  it." 


A    SCENE  IN   THE   SUMMERHOUSE.         141 

"  Then  you  don't  advise  me  to  marry?  " 

"  I  don't  advise  you  to  marry  St.  John." 

"Oh!" 

"  Are  you  engaged  to  him?  "  he  asked,  coming 
closer. 

"  I  am  not." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it." 

"  Are  you  married,  Cousin  Harry?  "  she  asked 
suddenly. 

"  Me?     No,  Marion— not  yet." 

"  I  suppose  you'll  marry  some  Yankee  girl  one 
of  these  days." 

"  I  don't  think  so,  unless " 

"Unless  what?" 

"  Unless  the  girl  I  always  did  love  goes  back  on 
me,  Marion.  Do  you  think  she  will  go  back  on 
me  ?  "  and  he  caught  both  of  her  hands  in  his  own. 

"  Harry,  you  are  a — a — Yankee." 

"  But  that  doesn't  affect  my  feelings  for  you." 

"  A  true  Yankee  ought  not  to  care  for  a  South- 
ern girl." 

"And  why  not?" 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  exactly.  But  it  doesn't 
seem  right." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  a  Southern  girl 
ought  not  to  care  for  the  man  who  is  fighting  as 
his  conscience  dictates  ?  "  he  demanded,  turning  a 
trifle  pale. 


I42  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  No,  no,  Harry !  I  honor  you  for  sticking  to 
your  principles.  But  we  had  better  say  no  more 
at  present  on  this  subject."  She  glanced  down 
the  garden  path.  "  See,  St.  John  is  coming. 
Let  go  my  hands." 

He  dropped  her  hands  and  took  a  seat  on  the 
other  side  of  the  summerhouse,  and  a  moment 
later  St.  John  Ruthven  presented  himself  at  the 
doorway. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

MEETING    OF    THE    COUSINS. 

St.  John  had  come  up  the  garden  path  quickly, 
and  had  failed  to  notice  Harry  Powell,  although 
he  had  caught  sight  of  a  well-known  dress  which 

Marion  wore. 

Now,  when  he  saw  the  young  surgeon,  his  face 
fell,  for  he  had  calculated  upon  seeing  Marion 

alone. 

"  Excuse  me,  Marion,"  he  said,  "  I  did  not 

know  you  had  company." 

"  Come  in,  St.  John,"  replied  the  girl.  "  Do 
you  not  recognize  my  visitor?     It  is  Dr.  Harry 

Powell." 

"Oh!"  St.  John  was  much  surprised,  and 
showed  it.     "How  do  you  do?"  he  continued 

stiffly. 

"  Shake  hands.  You  are  cousins,"  went  on 
Marion,  not  liking  the  dark  look  which  had  come 
to  St.  John's  face. 

"  Excuse  me,  but  I  cannot  shake  hands  with  one 
who  wears  that  uniform,"  returned  the  spend- 
thrift, drawing  back.     "  I  am  surprised,  Marion, 


144  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACIC. 

to  see  you  upon  such  intimate  terms  with  your 
country's  foe." 

Marion's  face  flushed,  and  she  bit  her  lip. 
Harry  Powell  set  his  teeth  and  then  smiled  coldly. 

"  I  perceive  you  wear  no  uniform  at  all,  St. 
John,"  he  remarked  pointedly. 

"  No.  My  duty  to  my  mother  keeps  me  at 
home,"  stammered  St.  John. 

"  If  all  who  have  mothers  were  to  remain  at 
home  we  would  have  few  soldiers." 

"  It  is  a  very  great  trial  to  me  to  have  to  remain 
at  home,"  went  on  the  hypocrite  smoothly.  "  Yet, 
to  my  notion,  a  man  is  far  better  off  at  home  than 
to  be  wearing  a  Yankee  uniform." 

"  That  is  for  each  man  to  decide  for  himself." 

St.  John  turned  to  Marion. 

"  Does  your  mother  know  that  Dr.  Powell  is 
here?" 

"  Yes;  she  has  invited  him  to  dine  with  us." 

"  To  dine  with  you !  "  exclaimed  the  spend- 
thrift. 

"  Yes,  what  is  wrong  about  that  ?  "  questioned 
Harry  Powell. 

"  I  thought  she  was  a  true  and  loyal  Southern 
woman." 

"  I  do  not  follow  you,"  answered  Harry  Powell 
hotly.  "  The  ties  of  blood  count  for  something, 
even  in  war  times." 


MEETING   OF    THE   COUSINS.  1 45 

"  They  do  not  count  for  as  much  as  that — to 
me,"  said  St.  John  sourly. 

"  Then  I  presume  you  will  not  care  to  stop  and 
dine  with  us,  St.  John,"  put  in  Marion. 

"  Thank  you,  no.  I  will  remain  another  time — 
when  it  is  more  agreeable,  Marion." 

So  speaking,  St.  John  bowed  low  to  the  girl, 
nodded  slightly  to  the  young  surgeon,  and  hur- 
ried from  the  place. 

Marion  looked  at  Harry  Powell  with  a  face  that 
was  crimson. 

"  Forget  the  insult,  Harry !  "  she  cried. 

"  It  is  not  your  fault,  Marion.  But  what  a  cad 
St.  John  is!  I  never  liked  him  much.  I  can 
easily  understand  how  Jack  cannot  get  along  with 
him." 

"  I  wish  he  would  join  the  army.  It  might 
make  a  man  of  him." 

"  I  believe  he  is  too  cowardly  to  don  a  uniform. 
But  come,  let  us  go  into  the  house,  or  your  mother 
will  wonder  what  is  keeping  us." 

When  they  entered  the  homestead  they  found 
Colonel  Stanton  taking  his  leave.  The  colonel 
was  perfectly  willing  to  allow  the  young  surgeon 
to  remain. 

"  Have  a  good  time,  Powell,"  he  said.  "  And 
try  to  convince  your  worthy  relatives  that  all 
Yankees  are  not  the  monsters  they  are  painted." 


146  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  He's  a  downright  good  fellow !  "  cried  Jack, 
when  the  Federal  officer  had  departed.  "  I  don't 
wonder  that  you  like  him,  Harry." 

"  He  is  a  very  nice  man,"  said  Marion,  and  to 
this  Mrs.  Ruthven  nodded  affirmatively. 

Dinner  was  almost  ready  to  be  served,  and 
while  they  were  waiting  Marion  noticed  that  the 
young  surgeon  was  studying  Jack's  face  closely. 

"  What  makes  you  look  at  Jack  so?  "  she  ques- 
tioned, in  a  low  voice,  so  that  our  hero  might  not 
hear. 

"  I  was  studying  his  face,"  was  the  slow  reply. 

"  Studying  his  face?  " 

"  Yes.  Marion,  did  you  notice  how  Colonel 
Stanton  looks?  " 

"  I  did,  although  not  very  closely." 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  Jack  bears  a  wonderful 
resemblance  to  the  colonel." 

"  Now  you  speak  of  it,  I  must  say  you  are 
right,"  answered  Marion  thoughtfully.  And 
then,  after  another  pause,  she  continued :  "  Is  the 
colonel  a  married  man  ?  " 

"  I  hardly  think  so.  I  have  never  heard  him 
speak  of  a  wife  or  children." 

"  Then  it  is  likely  that  he  is  a  bachelor."  And 
there,  for  the  time  being,  the  subject  was  dropped. 

Despite  the  fact  that  the  house  was  surrounded 
by  Federal  troops  and  that  a  portion  of  the  home- 


MEETING   OF   THE    COUSINS.  1 47 

stead  was  being  used  as  a  hospital,  the  dinner 
passed  off  in  a  far  from  unpleasant  manner. 
Mrs.  Ruthven  was  glad  to  meet  her  nephew  once 
more,  and  made  him  tell  the  story  of  his  service 
in  detail.  Not  only  the  lady  of  the  house,  but 
also  Marion  and  Jack,  hung  upon  the  young  sur- 
geon's words,  and  Jack's  eyes  glistened  when  he 
heard  about  the  hard  fighting  which  had  been 
witnessed. 

"  Oh,  how  I  wish  I  had  been  there !  I  would 
have  helped  to  beat  the  Yankee  troops  back !  "  he 
cried. 

"You're  a  born  soldier,  Jack!"  answered 
Harry  Powell.  "  And  I  must  say  I  like  you  the 
better  for  it.  I  can't  stand  such  stay-at-homes  as 
St.  John." 

"  Oh,  St.  John  is  a  regular — a  regular " 

"  Hush,  Jack !  "  interrupted  Mrs.  Ruthven  re- 
provingly. "  He  says  his  mother  needs  him  at 
home." 

"  And  our  country  needs  him  at  the  front," 
said  Marion. 

"  We  don't  need  cowards,"  finished  Jack. 
"  Harry,  you  don't  have  cowards  in  your  ranks, 
do  you  ?  " 

"  I  am  afraid  all  armies  have  more  or  less 
cowards  in  the  ranks,"  laughed  the  young  sur- 
geon.    "  Some  fellows  would  never  make  soldiers 


148  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

if  they  remained  in  the  service  a  hundred  years. 
Human  nature  is  human  nature  the  world  over, 
you  know." 

"  I  wonder  if  Dr.  Mackey  is  a  brave  man,"  mut- 
tered Jack,  but  nobody  paid  attention  to  this  ques- 
tion. 

The  repast  over,  Harry  Powell  took  his  leave, 
but  promised  to  come  again,  if  possible,  before 
leaving  the  vicinity.  Marion  saw  him  go  with 
genuine  regret,  and  blushed  painfully  when,  on 
watching  him  hurry  down  the  road,  he  suddenly 
turned  and  waved  his  hand  toward  her. 

"  Dear,  good  cousin  Harry,"  she  murmured. 
"  How  different  from  St.  John !  " 

Two  days  passed  and  nothing  of  importance 
occurred  to  disturb  the  Ruthven  homestead.  On 
the  second  day  St.  John  called  to  see  Marion,  but 
she  excused  herself  by  saying  she  had  a  headache, 
which  was  true,  although  the  ache  was  not  as 
severe  as  it  might  have  been. 

As  he  was  leaving  the  place  St.  John  ran  up 
against  Jack,  who  had  been  down  to  the  outskirts 
of  the  Federal  encampment,  watching  the  soldiers 
drill. 

"  Hullo,  where  have  you  been  ?  "  said  the  spend- 
thrift carelessly. 

"  Been  down  watching  the  Yankees  drill,"  an- 
swered Jack. 


MEETING  OF    THE   COUSINS.  1 49 

"  It  seems  to  me  you  take  an  awful  interest  in 
those  dirty  Yankees,"  retorted  St.  John,  with  a 
sneer. 

"  I  take  an  interest  in  all  soldiers." 

"  Then  why  don't  you  join  them,  and  evince 
your  interest  in  some  practical  way?  " 

"  I'd  join  our  troops  quick  enough,  if  I  was 
older.  I'd  be  ashamed  to  stay  at  home  and  suck 
my  thumb." 

Jack  looked  at  St.  John  steadily  as  he  spoke, 
and  this  threw  the  spendthrift  into  a  rage. 

"Do  you  mean  to  insult  me  by  that?"  he 
roared. 

"  If  the  shoe  fits  you  can  wear  it." 

"  I'll  knock  you  down  for  the  insult." 

"  I  don't  think  you  will." 

"Why  not?" 

"  Perhaps  you  are  not  able,  that's  why." 

"  Pooh !  Do  you  think  you  can  stand  up 
against  me?  " 

"  Perhaps  I  can.  Don't  forget  our  encounter 
on  the  road." 

"  You  took  a  mean  advantage  of  me.  I've  a 
good  mind  to  thrash  you  right  here." 

"  You  may  try  it  on  if  you  wish,  St.  John,"  and 
so  speaking  Jack  began  to  throw  off  his  coat. 

"  Will  you  take  back  what  you  said?  " 

"What  did  I  say?" 


15°  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Said  I  was  a  coward  for  not  becoming  a  sol- 
dier— or  about  the  same  thing." 

"  I  won't  take  back  what  I  think  is  true." 

"  So  you  dare  to  say  I  am  a  coward?  "  howled 
the  spendthrift. 

"If  you  want  it  in  plain  words,  I  do  dare  to  say 
it,  and  furthermore,  it  is  true,  and  you  know  it. 
Your  plea  that  you  must  remain  at  home  is  all  a 
sham.  When  the  Yankees  came  this  way  you 
were  all  ready  to  run  for  your  life  at  the  first  sign 
of  real  danger.  You  never  thought  of  your 
mother  at  all." 

"  Ha !  who  told  you  that  ?  " 

"Never  mind;  I  found  it  out,  and  that's 
enough." 

"  I — I  was  suffering  from  an  extremely  severe 
toothache,  and  hardly  knew  what  I  was  doing 
that  day." 

"  I  don't  believe  it." 

"  You  young  rascal !  you  are  growing  more  im- 
pudent every  day." 

"  I  am  not  a  rascal." 

"  You  are,  and  an  upstart  in  the  bargain.  I 
heard  at  the  village  that  some  Confederate  sur- 
geon claims  you  as  his  son.     Is  that  true?  " 

"  If  it  is,  it  is  his  business  and  mine." 

"  Well,  if  you  are  his  son,  why  don't  you  get 
out  of  here?  " 


MEETING   OF   THE    COUSINS.  151 

"  I  shall  not  go  as  long  as  Mrs.  Ruthven  wishes 
me  to  remain." 

"  Does  she  want  you  to  stay?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  Marion  wants  you  to  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  It  is  strange.  But  if  I  were  you  I  wouldn't 
stay  where  I  had  no  right  to  stay,"  went  on  St. 
John  insinuatingly. 

"  But  I  have  a  right  here." 

"Indeed!" 

"  Yes.  The  late  Colonel  Ruthven  adopted  me, 
and  I  am  his  son  by  law." 

"  Bah !  That  will  count  for  nothing  if  this 
Confederate  surgeon  can  prove  you  belong  to 
him." 

"  Well,  he'll  have  to  prove  it  first." 

"  Of  course  you  won't  get  out  of  this  nest  until 
you  are  pushed  out,"  blustered  St.  John.  "  It's 
too  much  of  a  soft  thing  for  you.  You  ought  to 
be  made  to  earn  your  own  living." 

This  remark  made  Jack's  face  grow  crimson, 
and,  striding  up  to  St.  John,  he  clenched  his  fists, 
at  which  the  young  man  promptly  retreated. 

"  I  am  perfectly  willing  to  work  whenever 
called  upon  to  do  so,"  said  our  hero.  "  But  it  is 
not  for  you  to  say  what  I  shall  do,  remember  that. 
I  know  why  you  wish  to  get  me  out  of  here." 


I52  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Do  you,  indeed !  " 

"  I  do,  indeed,  St.  John  Ruthven.  You  want 
to  get  hold  of  some  of  Mrs.  Ruthven's  property. 
If  I  was  out  of  the  way,  you  think  she  might  leave 
it  all  to  Marion  and  to  you." 

"  Well,  I  have  more  of  a  right  to  it  than  you,  if 
it  comes  to  that." 

"  But  Marion  has  the  best  right,  and  I  hope 
every  dollar  of  it  goes  to  her." 

"  Well,  that  aint  here  or  there.  Are  you  going 
with  your  father  or  not?  " 

"  He  must  prove  that  he  is  my  father  first." 

"  You  won't  take  his  word?  " 

"  No." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  I  do  not  like  the  man,"  and  our  hero's 
face  filled  with  sudden  bitterness.  What  if  Dr. 
Mackey  should  prove  to  be  his  parent,  after  all? 
How  St.  John  would  rejoice  in  his  discomfiture! 

"  I  suppose  this  Dr.  Mackey  is  a  very  common 
sort  of  man,"  continued  the  spendthrift,  in  an 
endeavor  to  add  to  our  hero's  misery. 

"  What  do  you  know  about  him?  " 

"  Nothing  but  what  I  heard  at  the  village." 

"  Is  he  down  there  now  ?  " 

"  Of  course  not.     He  went  with  our  troops." 

Jack  drew  a  sigh  of  relief.  It  was  likely  that 
the  doctor  would  not  show  himself  in  the  neigh- 


MEETING  OF   THE   COUSINS.  153 

borhood  for  some  time  to  come,  probably  not  until 
the  Federal  troops  had  departed. 

"  I  am  going  to  talk  to  my  aunt  of  this,"  said 
St.  John  suddenly,  and,  without  another  word  to 
Jack,  turned  his  steps  toward  the  plantation  home. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

A    SUMMONS    FROM     THE    FRONT. 

St.  John  found  his  aunt  too  busy  to  spend 
much  time  talking  about  Jack's  past  and  Dr. 
Mackey's  claim,  and  it  was  not  long  before  he  took 
his  departure,  feeling  that  he  had  gained  nothing 
by  this  new  attack  upon  our  hero's  welfare. 

"  I  wish  I  could  get  him  out  of  the  way,"  he 
muttered,  as  he  walked  homeward,  by  a  side  road, 
so  as  to  steer  clear  of  the  Federal  troops.  "  If 
only  he  would  join  the  army,  and  get  shot  down." 

He  entered  his  home  filled  with  thoughts  of 
Jack  and  Marion,  but  all  these  thoughts  were 
driven  to  the  winds  after  he  had  read  a  communi- 
cation which  had  been  left  for  him  during  his  ab- 
sence. 

The  communication  was  one  from  a  well-known 
Southern  leader  of  the  neighborhood,  and  ran,  in 
part,  as  follows : 

"  Many  of  us  think  it  time  to  call  upon  you  to 
take  up  arms  as  we  have  done.  With  our  noble 
country  suffering  from  the  invasion  of  the  enemy, 

*54 


A   SUMMONS  FROM   THE  FRONT.  155 

every  loyal  Southerner  is  needed  at  the  front. 
Join  our  ranks  ere  it  be  too  late.  The  muster  roll 
can  be  signed  at  Wingate's  Hotel,  any  time  to-day 
or  to-night.     Do  not  delay." 

As  St.  John  read  this  communication  his  face 
grew  ashen.  "  Called  upon  to  join  at  last!  "  he 
muttered.  "  What  shall  I  do  now  ?  What  ex- 
cuse can  I  offer  for  hanging  back?  " 

"  What  is  in  your  letter,  St.  John  ?  "  asked  his 
mother. 

"  They  want  me  to  join  the  army — they  say 
every  man  is  needed,"  he  answered,  with  half  a 
groan. 

"To  join?     When?" 

"  At  once." 

"What  shall  you  do?" 

"  I — I  don't  know."  His  legs  began  to  tremble, 
and  he  sank  heavily  on  a  chair.  "  I — I  am  too 
sick  to  join  the  army,  mother,"  he  went  on,  half 
pleadingly. 

Now  Mrs.  Ruthven  did  not  care  to  have  him 
leave  her,  yet  she  was  but  human,  and  it  filled  her 
with  disgust  to  have  her  only  offspring  such  a 
coward. 

"  You  weren't  very  sick  this  morning." 

"  I  know  that.  But  the  sun  has  affected  my 
head.     I  feel  very  faint." 


156  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  If  you  don't  join  the  ranks,  all  of  our  neigh- 
bors will  put  you  down  as  a  coward,  St. 
John." 

"  They  can't  want  a  sick  man  along,"  he 
whined. 

"  They  will  say  you  are  shamming." 

"  But  I  am  not  shamming.  I  feel  bad  enough 
to  take  to  my  bed  this  minute." 

"  Then  you  had  better  do  it,"  answered  Mrs. 
Ruthven,  with,  however,  but  little  sympathy  in 
her  voice. 

"  I  will  go  to  bed  at  once." 

"  You  must  not  forget  that  your  cousin,  Harry 
Powell,  is  in  the  army." 

"  Yes,  on  the  Yankee  side." 

"  Still  he  is  brave  enough  to  go.  Marion  may 
think  a  good  deal  of  him  on  that  account." 

"  Well,  I  would  go,  for  Marion's  sake,  if  I  felt 
at  all  well,"  groaned  St.  John.  "  But  I  am  in  for 
a  regular  spell  of  sickness,  I  feel  certain  of  it." 

"  Then  go  to  bed." 

"  Write  Colonel  Raymond  a  note  stating  that  I 
am  in  bed,  and  tell  him  I  would  join  the  ranks  if  I 
possibly  could,"  groaned  St.  John,  and  then 
dragged  himself  upstairs  and  retired.  Here  he 
called  for  a  negro  servant  and  had  a  man  go  for  a 
doctor. 

Much  disgusted,  Mrs.  Mary  Ruthven  penned 


A    SUMMONS  FROM   THE  FRONT.  15  7 

the  note,  and  sent  it  to  town,  shielding  her  son's 
true  character  as  much  as  possible. 

For  the  remainder  of  the  day  St.  John  stayed  in 
bed,  and  whenever  a  servant  came  into  his  room 
he  would  groan  dismally. 

When  the  doctor  arrived  he  was  alarmed,  until 
he  made  an  examination. 

"  He  is  shamming,"  thought  the  family  physi- 
cian. But  as  the  Ruthvens  were  among  his  best 
customers,  he  said  nothing  on  this  point.  He  left 
St.  John  some  soothing  medicine  and  a  tonic,  and 
said  he  would  call  again  the  next  day. 

Instead  of  using  the  medicine,  the  young  spend- 
thrift threw  it  out  of  the  window. 

"  Don't  catch  me  swallowing  that  stuff,"  he 
chuckled  to  himself.  "  I  am  not  altogether  such 
a  fool." 

Several  days  passed,  and  nothing  of  importance 
happened  to  disturb  those  at  either  of  the  Ruth- 
ven  plantations. 

But  a  surprise  was  in  store  for  Jack  and  those 
with  whom  he  lived. 

One  of  the  wounded  soldiers  stopping  at  Mrs. 
Alice  Ruthven's  home  was  named  George  Walden. 
The  poor  fellow  had  been  shot  in  the  shoulder,  a 
painful  as  well  as  a  dangerous  wound. 

For  several  days  he  lay  speechless,  and  during 
that  time  the  Confederate  surgeon  and  Mrs.  Ruth- 


15 8  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

ven,  as  well  as  Marion,  did  all  they  could  to  ease 
his  suffering. 

One  day  George  Walden  began  to  speak  to 
Marion. 

"  You  are  very  good  to  me,"  he  said.  "  You 
are  in  reality  an  angel  of  mercy." 

"  I  am  glad  to  be  able  to  help  you,  and  thus  help 
the  Southern  cause,"  replied  Marion.  "  But  you 
must  not  speak  too  much.  It  may  retard  your  re- 
covery." 

"  I  will  not  talk  much.     But  you  are  so  kind  I 
must  thank  you.     What  is  your  name?" 
"  Marion  Ruthven." 

Then  he  told  her  his  own,  and  said  he  had  a 
sister  at  home,  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  and  asked  Mar- 
ion to  write  a  letter  for  him,  which  she  did  will- 
ingly. 

After  that  Marion  and  George  Walden  became 
quite  intimate,  and  the  soldier  told  much  about 
himself  and  the  battles  through  which  he  had 
passed. 

"  Some  of  them  are  nothing  but  nightmares," 
he  said.  "  I  never  wish  to  see  the  like  of  them 
again." 

"  And  yet  you  saw  only  the  fighting,  I  pre- 
sume," said  Marion.  "  Think  of  what  those  in 
the  hospital  corps  must  behold." 

"  I  was  attached  to  the  hospital  corps,"  returned 


A    SUMMONS  FROM    THE   FRONT.  I$9 

George  Walden.  "  I  have  helped  to  carry  in  hun- 
dreds who  were  wounded." 

"  If  you  were  in  the  hospital  service,  did  you 
ever  meet  a  doctor  named  Mackey?  "  questioned 
Marion,  with  increased  interest. 

At  this  question  the  brow  of  the  wounded  sol- 
dier darkened,  and  he  shifted  uneasily  upon  his 
couch. 

"  Yes,  I  know  Dr.  Mackey  well,"  he  said,  at 
last. 

"  You  do !  "  cried  the  girl.  "  And  what  do 
you  know  of  him?  I  would  like  to  know  very 
much." 

"Is  he  your  friend?"  asked  George  Walden 
cautiously. 

"  No,  I  cannot  say  that  he  is." 

"  Because,  if  he  is  your  friend,  I  would  rather 
not  say  anything  further,  Miss  Ruthven.  I  do 
not  wish  to  hurt  your  feelings." 

"  Which  means  that  what  you  have  to  say 
would  be  of  no  credit  to  Dr.  Mackey  ?  " 

"  Exactly." 

"  I  would  like  to  know  all  about  him.  I  will 
tell  you  why.  You  have  noticed  Jack,  my 
brother  ?  " 

"  The  lad  who  helped  move  me  yesterday?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Of  course — a  fine  young  fellow." 


160  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  He  is  not  my  real  brother.  My  parents 
adopted  him  about  ten  years  ago." 

"  Indeed." 

"  Some  time  ago  Dr.  Mackey  turned  up  here 
and  claimed  Jack  as  his  son." 

"  Impossible !  Why,  Dr.  Mackey  is  a  bach- 
elor!" 

"  You  are  sure  of  this  ?  He  says  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Jack's  mother,  who  was  shipwrecked  on 
our  shore,  and  who  died  at  this  house  a  few  days 
later." 

"  I  have  heard  Dr.  Mackey  declare  several  times 
that  he  was  heart-free,  that  he  had  never  cared 
for  any  woman,  and  consequently  had  never 
married." 

At  this  declaration  Marion's  face  lit  up. 

"  I  knew  it !  I  knew  it !  "  she  cried.  "  I  must 
tell  mamma  and  Jack  at  once !  " 

"  Dr.  Mackey  is  a  fraud,"  went  on  the  wounded 
soldier.  "  To  the  best  of  my  knowledge,  he  comes 
from  Philadelphia,  where  he  used  to  run  a  mail- 
order medical  bureau  of  some  sort — something 
which  the  Post-office  Department  stopped  as  a 
swindle." 

"  My  cousin  thought  he  came  from  Phila- 
delphia," said  Marion.  "  But  wait  until  I  call 
my  mother  and  Jack." 

Marion  ran  off  without  delay,  but  failed  to  find 


A   SUMMONS  FROM   THE  FRONT.  l6l 

either  Mrs.  Ruthven  or  our  hero,  both  having 
gone  to  town  to  purchase  something  at  Mr.  Black- 
wood's store. 

"  Da  will  be  back  afore  supper  time,  Miss 
Marion,"  said  one  of  the  servants,  and  with  this 
she  had  to  be  content. 

"  My  folks  have  gone  away,"  she  said  to  George 
Walden.  "  As  soon  as  they  come  back  I  will 
bring  them  to  you.  I  hope  you  can  prove  your 
words." 

"  I  am  sure  I  can  prove  them,"  answered  the 
wounded  soldier. 

"  Jack  does  not  like  this  Dr.  Mackey  in  the 
least,  and  the  idea  of  being  compelled  to  recognize 
the  man  as  his  father  is  very  repulsive  to  him." 

"  I  don't  blame  the  boy.  For  myself,  I  hate 
the  doctor — he  is  so  rough  to  the  wounded  placed 
in  his  care.  He  treated  one  of  my  chums  worse 
than  a  dog,  and  I  came  pretty  close  to  having  it 
out  with  him  in  consequence." 

"  He  doesn't  look  like  a  very  tender-hearted 
man." 

"  He  doesn't  know  what  tenderness  is,  Miss 
Ruthven.  I  would  pity  your  brother  if  he  had  to 
place  himself  under  Dr.  Mackey's  care." 

"  We  won't  give  Jack  up  unless  the  courts  make 
us.     My  mother  is  firm  on  that  point." 

"  But  why  does  he  want  the  boy?  " 


1 62  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  That  is  the  mystery — if  Jack  is  not  really  his 
son." 

"  Perhaps  there  is  a  fortune  coming  to  your 
brother,  and  the  doctor  wants  to  secure  it.  A 
man  like  Dr.  Mackey  wouldn't  do  a  thing  of  this 
sort  without  an  object.  I  can  tell  you  one  thing — 
the  fellow  worships  money." 

"  What  makes  you  think  that?  " 

"  Because  I  know  that  a  wounded  soldier  once 
told  him  to  be  careful  and  he  would  give  him  all 
the  money  he  had — twelve  dollars.  The  doctor 
was  careful,  and  took  every  dollar  that  was 
offered." 

"  But  had  he  a  right  to  take  the  soldier's 
money?"  asked  Marion  indignantly. 

"  Not  exactly,  but  in  war  times  many  queer 
things  happen  that  are  never  told  of  at  head- 
quarters," answered  George  Walden. 

Here  the  conversation  ceased,  for  the  soldier 
was  quite  exhausted.  Soon  Marion  gave  him  a 
quieting  draught,  and  then  George  Walden  slept. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE    STORM    OF    BATTLE    AGAIN. 

As  related  in  the  last  chapter,  Mrs.  Ruthven 
and  Jack  had  gone  to  Oldville  to  do  some  neces- 
sary trading. 

Arriving  at  the  town,  they  found  all  in  high  ex- 
citement. The  stores  were  closed,  and  only  the 
tavern  was  open,  and  here  were  congregated  a 
number  of  men  who  had  but  lately  joined  the  Con- 
federate ranks. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Ruthven  of 
one  of  the  men. 

"  Another  battle  is  on,"  was  the  answer. 
"  We  are  going  to  drive  the  Yanks  out  of  this 
neighborhood." 

"  Another  battle !  "  cried  Jack.     "  Where  ?  " 

"  They  are  fighting  over  near  Larson's  Corners. 
Can't  you  hear  the  shooting?  " 

"  I  can  hear  it  now — I  didn't  hear  it  before." 

"  Do  you  think  they  will  come  this  way?  "  ques- 
tioned Mrs.  Ruthven  anxiously. 

"  Aint  no  telling  how  matters  will  turn,"  an- 
swered the  man  addressed,  and  then  hurried  off  to 
join  the  other  newly  enlisted  soldiers.     Soon  the 

163 


1 64  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

soldiers  were  leaving  the  town  on  the  double- 
quick. 

Jack  watched  the  departure  of  the  men  with 
interest,  and  then  espied  Darcy  Gilbert  running 
toward  him. 

"Hi,  Darcy!"  he  called  out.  "Where 
bound?" 

"  Jack !  Just  the  one  I  wanted  to  meet. 
There's  a  fight  on." 

"So  I  hear.  I  reckon  we  had  better  call  out 
the  Home  Guard  again." 

"  By  all  means.  The  stores  want  protection, 
and  so  do  the  homesteads,"  went  on  Darcy. 
"  Shall  1  go  down  the  shore  road  and  call  up  the 
boys?" 

"  Yes,  and  I'll  take  the  Batsford  road.  If  you 
see  Doc  Nivers  tell  him  to  call  up  the  boys  on  the 
mountain  road,  will  you?  " 

"  Yes.  What  of  those  at  Brackett's  planta- 
tion?" 

"  I'll  send  Hackett  or  Purroy  after  them,"  an- 
swered Jack. 

The  two  lads  separated,  and  Jack  turned  to  his 
foster  mother. 

"  Mother,  you  heard  what  was  said,"  he  began. 
"  You  don't  object,  do  you  ?  " 

"  No,  Jack;  do  your  duty,  as  a  brave  boy  should. 
But  be  careful — I  cannot  afford  to  lose  you !  "  and 


THE   STORM  OF  BATTLE  AGAIN.  t6$ 

she  wiped  away  the  tears  which  gathered  in  her 
eyes. 

"  You  will  return  home  ?  '" 

"  At  once." 

"  If  I  were  you  I'd  place  Old  Ben  on  guard  at 
the  plantation.  I  don't  believe  anybody  will 
harm  the  place,  now  it  is  flying  a  hospital  flag. 
Certainly  the  troops  under  Colonel  Stanton  won't 
trouble  us." 

"  No ;  he  is  a  gentleman,  and  I  know  I  can  trust 
him.  Dear  Harry !  I  wish  he  was  not  with  the 
Yankee  army." 

"  Well,  he  is  fighting  according  to  the  dictates 
of  his  conscience,  so  there  is  no  use  in  finding 
fault." 

Mrs.  Ruthven  kissed  Jack  tenderly  and  hurried 
off,  and  then  with  all  speed  our  hero  set  to  work 
to  summon  together  the  lads  composing  the  Home 
Guard. 

The  task  was  not  difficult,  for  the  firing  in  the 
distance — which  was  gradually  coming  closer — 
had  aroused  everybody.  In  less  than  an  hour  the 
Home  Guard  was  out  in  force  on  the  town  green, 
with  Jack  in  command. 

"  Boys,  we  may  have  some  hot  work  to  do," 
said  the  young  captain.  "  I  expect  everybody  to 
do  his  best.  I  trust  there  is  no>  coward  among 
us." 


166  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it !  "  came  back  in  a  shout. 

"  We  aint  no  St.  John  Ruthvens,"  whispered 
one  of  the  young  soldiers,  but  loud  enough  for  a 
dozen  or  more  to  hear. 

"  That's  so,"  answered  another.  And  then  he 
continued,  "  What  a  difference  between  our 
Jack  and  his  cowardly  cousin !" 

"  We  are  here  to  defend  property  more  than  to 
take  part  in  any  battle,"  said  Jack.  "  Do  not  let 
the  guerrillas  steal,  no  matter  what  side  they  pre- 
tend to  be  on.  A  thief  is  a  thief,  whether  he  says 
he  is  a  Confederate  or  a  Yankee." 

"That's  right!"  shouted  the  old  storekeeper, 
who  stood  by. 

A  little  while  later  the  firing  came  closer,  and 
presently  up  the  road  a  cloud  of  dust  was  seen. 

"  The  Yanks  are  coming !  "  was  the  cry,  as  a 
horseman  dashed  up. 

"  Coming?  "  repeated  several. 

"  Yes,  they  are  in  retreat !  " 

A  wild  shout  went  up — cut  short  by  the  sudden 
belching  forth  of  cannon  on  the  mountain  side 
above  the  town.  A  little  later  some  Federal 
troops  swept  into  view. 

"  They  are  coming !     Get  out  of  the  way !  " 

Soon  the  soldiers  filled  the  road  and  the  whole 
of  the  green.  They  had  been  fighting  hard  and 
were  almost  exhausted.     Others  followed  until 


THE   STORM  OF  BATTLE  AGAIN.  1 67 

the  streets  of  the  old  town  were  crowded.  Then 
began  a  systematic  retreat  northward. 

*'  We've  got  the  Yanks  on  the  run !  "  was  the 
cry.     "  Give  it  to  'em,  boys !  " 

The  rattle  of  musketry  was  incessant,  and  ever 
and  anon  came  the  dull  booming  of  cannon. 
Soon  more  Federal  troops  appeared,  and  those 
who  had  come  first  moved  toward  the  mountain 
road. 

It  was  a  thrilling  scene,  and  Jack  longed  to  take 
part.  But  he  realized  that  just  now  there  was 
nothing  for  the  Home  Guard  to  do.  Had  they 
opened  fire,  the  Federal  troops  would  have  annihi- 
lated them.  Nobody  molested  the  stores  or  town 
buildings,  although  the  church  was  hit  by  sev- 
eral cannon  balls.  Gradually  the  fighting  shifted 
to  the  mountain  side,  and  then  in  the  direction  of 
the  Ruthven  plantations. 

"  They  are  moving  toward  St.  John's  place," 
remarked  Jack,  some  time  later,  to  Darcy.  "  We 
ought  to  go  over  to  see  that  no  damage  is  done 
there." 

"  St.  John  ought  to  take  care  of  the  place  him- 
self," grumbled  Darcy.  "  He  won't  join  the 
army  or  the  Home  Guard.  What  does  he  ex- 
pect?" 

Several  sided  with  Darcy,  but  Jack  shook  his 
head.     "I  am  going  over.     I  would  like  eight  or 


1 68  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

ten  to  go  with  me.  The  others  had  better  remain 
around  town."     And  so  it  was  arranged. 

The  coming  of  the  Federalists  to  the  plantation 
owned  by  Mrs.  Mary  Ruthven  filled  St.  John  with 
supreme  terror.  Hearing  the  firing,  the  young 
man  got  up  and  dressed  himself.  He  was  just 
finishing  when  his  mother  appeared. 

"  St.  John,  Pompey  says  the  Yankees  are  com- 
ing!" said  the  mother.  "You  must  arm  your- 
self and  try  to  defend  our  home." 

"  The  Yan — Yankees !  "  he  said,  with  chatter- 
ing teeth.     "  How — how  near  are  they?  " 

"  They  have  passed  through  the  town  and  are 
all  over  the  mountain  side.  Come,  do  not  delay. 
I  have  given  Pompey  a  gun  and  old  Louis  a 
pistol.  Arm  yourself  and  take  charge  of  them. 
If  we  do  not  protect  ourselves,  we  may  all  be 
killed." 

Shaking  so  that  he  could  scarcely  walk,  St. 
John  went  below  and  into  the  library,  where  hung 
a  rifle  over  the  chimney  piece  and  also  a  brace  of 
swords.  He  got  down  the  rifle  and  loaded  it. 
Then  he  strapped  the  larger  of  the  swords  around 
his  waist. 

"  Now  you  look  quite  like  a  soldier,"  said  his 
mother  encouragingly.  "  I  hope  you  can  shoot 
straight." 

"I — I  don't  want  to  kill — kill  anybody,"  he 


THE   STORM  OF  BATTLE  AGAIN.  169 

answered.     "  If  I  do,  the  Yankees  will  be  very — 
very  vindictive." 

"But  you  must  protect  our  home!"  insisted 
Mrs.  Mary  Ruthven.     "  Come,  brace  up !  " 

Still  trembling,  and  with  a  face  as  white  as 
chalk,  St.  John  walked  to  the  veranda  of  the 
homestead.  He  gazed  down  the  road  and  saw  a 
body  of  soldiers  approaching-,  in  a  cloud  of  dust 
and  smoke.  Then  a  cannon  boomed  out,  and  a 
ball  hit  the  corner  of  the  house,  sending  a  shower 
of  splinters  in  all  directions. 

"  They  have  struck  the  house !  "  shrieked  Mrs. 
Ruthven.     "  We  shall  all  be  murdered!  " 

"  Spare  us!  spare  us!  "  gasped  St.  John,  as  a 
company  of  soldiers  came  up  to  the  mansion  on 
the  double-quick.  "  We  have  harmed  nobody ! 
Spare  us ! " 

"  You  big  calf !  "  cried  one  of  the  soldiers. 
"  We  aint  going  to  hurt  you.  Git  up  from  yer 
knees !  "  For  St.  John  had  indeed  fallen  upon 
his  knees  in  his  abject  terror. 

"  Who — who  are  you  ?  " 

"  We  are  Confederates — if  you'll  only  open  yer 
eyes  to  see.  Git  up !  "  And  in  disgust  the 
Southern  soldier  pricked  St.  John's  shoulder  with 
his  bayonet.  The  spendthrift  let  out  a  yell  of  fear, 
rolled  over,  and  dashed  into  the  house,  leaving  his 
gun  behind  him. 


17©  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"St.  John,  where  are  you  going?"  cried  his 
mother,  coming  after  him. 

"  Oh,  mother,  we  are  lost!  "  he  wailed. 

"  No,  we  are  not.  Go  out  again,  and  pick  up 
your  gun." 

"I — I  cannot!  They  will — will  shoot  me!" 
he  shivered. 

"  But  they  are  our  own  men,  St.  John.  You 
are  perfectly  safe  with  them." 

But  he  would  not  go,  and  she  left  him  in  the 
hallway,  where  he  had  sunk  down  on  a  bench.  In 
one  way  he  was  to  be  pitied,  for  his  fear  was  be- 
yond his  control. 

Soon  the  Confederates  left  the  plantation  and 
the  Federalists  burst  into  view.  The  cannon  con- 
tinued to  boom  forth,  and  presently  came  a  cry 
from  the  rear  of  the  mansion : 

"  Fire !  fire !     The  house  is  on  fire !  " 

The  report  was  true,  and  as  the  soldiers  left  the 
place  up  went  a  large  cloud  of  smoke,  followed  by 
the  bursting  out  of  flames  in  several  directions. 
Such  was  the  state  of  affairs  when  Jack  and  his 
followers  reached  the  roadway  in  front  of  the 
plantation. 

"  The  house  is  on  fire !  "  ejaculated  the  young 
captain.     "  Come,  we  must  put  out  the  flames." 

"  But  the  enemy "  began  one  of  the  other 

boys. 


THE   STORM  OF  BATTLE  AGAIN.  171 

"  The  Yankees  are  making  for  the  mountain 
road  and  our  troops  are  to  the  westward.  I  don't 
believe  either  will  come  this  way  again.  Hurry 
up,  or  it  will  be  too  late! " 

Jack  ran  up  to  the  house  with  all  speed,  to  meet 
Mrs.  Mary  Ruthven  on  the  veranda. 

"  The  house — it  is  doomed !  "  wailed  the  lady 
of  the  plantation. 

"  Get  us  all  the  pails  and  buckets  you  have,"  an- 
swered Jack.     "  And  have  you  a  ladder  handy?  " 

"  There  is  a  ladder  in  the  stable,  Jack.  Oh,  will 
you  help  put  it  out  ?  " 

"  We'll  do  our  best.     Is  St.  John  at  home?  " 

"  Yes,"  and  so  speaking,  Mrs.  Mary  Ruthven 
ran  off  to  arouse  her  son. 

"  You  must  help,"  she  said.  "  Quick,  or  we 
will  be  homeless." 

"  But  the — the  Yankees  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Are  gone."  She  clasped  her  hands  entreat- 
ingly.     "  Oh,  St.  John,  do  be  a  man  for  once !  " 

"  A  man  ?  What  do  you  mean,  mother  ?  "  he 
cried,  leaping  up  as  soon  as  he  heard  that  the 
enemy  was  gone.  "  I  am  not  afraid.  I — I  had 
a  sudden  attack  of  pain  around  my — -my  heart, 
that's  all." 

"  Then,  if  it  is  over,  save  the  house,"  she  an- 
swered coldly,  and  ran  off  to  tell  the  servants  about 
the  pails  and  buckets. 


CHAPTER   XXL 

A    LIVELY    FIRE. 

In  the  meantime  Jack  and  several  others  of  the 
Home  Guard  had  made  their  way  to  the  barn  and 
brought  forth  two  ladders,  a  short  affair  and  one 
which  was  both  long  and  heavy. 

"  The  short  one  can  be  placed  on  the  veranda 
roof,"  said  the  young  captain.  "  The  other  we 
can  place  against  the  corner,  where  the  fire  is  burn- 
ing the  strongest." 

"  Somebody  must  have  gone  into  the  garret  to 
set  that  fire,"  said  another  of  the  boys.  "  Where 
are  the  water  buckets?  " 

"  Here  da  am,  sah,"  replied  one  of  the  negro 
servants,  and  handed  them  over. 

"  Somebody  must  keep  at  the  well,"  said  Jack. 
"  Pompey,  you  know  how  to  use  the  buckets  best. 
You  draw  for  us." 

"  Yes,  Massah  Jack." 

"  We'll  form  a  line  to  the  cistern,  too,"  went  on 
our  hero.     "  Now  then,  work  lively !  " 

The  boys  ran  to  the  places  assigned  to  them, 
and  aided  by  the  colored  servants  placed  the  lad- 
ders as  desired.     Soon  water  was  being  passed 

172 


IT   WAS    HOT    WORK   ON    THE   LONG   LADDER    AND    SOON    JACK    WAS    ALL 

BUT    EXHAUSTED. — Page    I  73. 
Young  Captaiii  Jack. 


A   LIVELY  FIRE.  173 

up  and  dashe'd^upon  the  burning  roof  with  all  pos- 
sible speed.  But  the  fire  was  a  lively  one,  and  the 
breeze  which  was  blowing  helped  it  to  spread. 

"  What  can  I  do  ?  "  asked  St.  John,  as  he  stood 
by,  rubbing  his  hands  nervously. 

"  Go  down  to  the  stable  and  the  barns  and  put 
out  the  sparks  blowing  that  way,"  said  Jack. 

"  Don't  you  want  me  here  ?  " 

"  Yes,  if  you'll  go  up  to  the  top  of  the  ladder," 
answered  our  hero,  knowing  full  well  St.  John 
would  do  nothing  of  the  sort. 

"  I — I  never  could  climb  a  ladder,"  faltered  the 
young  man,  and  turned  toward  the  stable,  where 
he  spent  his  time  in  putting  out  the  flying  sparks, 
as  Jack  had  suggested. 

It  was  hot  work  on  the  long  ladder,  and  soon 
Jack  was  all  but  exhausted.  But  he  stuck  to  his 
post,  knowing  full  well  that,  if  he  let  up,  the  fire 
would  soon  get  the  best  of  them.  All  of  the  boys 
worked  like  Trojans,  and  the  negro  servants 
helped  them  as  much  as  possible.  Mrs.  Ruthven 
remained  in  the  house,  packing  up  her  valuables, 
so  as  to  be  able  to  leave,  should  it  become  neces- 
sary to  do  so. 

"  More  water !  "  cried  Jack.  "  The  fire  is  eat- 
ing to  the  center  of  the  roof !     More  water !  " 

"  We  are  bringing  it  as  fast  as  we  can !  "  panted 
the  boy  below  him. 


174  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Make  the  servants  form  a  line  to  the  cistern." 

"  I  will,"  answered  the  boy,  and  soon  the  water 
was  coming  up  as  rapidly  as  Jack  and  the  other 
lad  on  the  roof  could  handle  it. 

At  last  the  fire  seemed  to  lose  its  force,  and  was 
extinguished  at  one  corner  of  the  roof.  Then 
all  hands  turned  their  attention  to  the  spot  over 
the  veranda.  Here  the  flames  had  eaten  under 
the  gutter. 

"  We  must  have  an  ax !  "  exclaimed  Jack,  and 
one  was  quickly  procured  from  the  woodpile. 

"Hi!  what  are  you  going  to  do  with  that?" 
yelled  St.  John,  as  he  caught  sight  of  the  article. 

"  Going  to  chop  a  hole  in  the  roof,"  answered 
our  hero. 

"  How  foolish !     You'll  make  the  fire  worse." 

"  No,  I  won't — I  know  what  I  am  doing,  St. 
John." 

"  You  shan't  chop  a  hole  in  the  roof,"  insisted 
the  unreasonable  young  man. 

A  cry  of  derision  went  up  from  half  a  dozen  of 
the  boys. 

"  Take  a  back  seat,  St.  John,"  advised  one. 
"  You  are  too  scared  to  know  what  you  are  say- 
ing." 

At  this  the  spendthrift's  face  grew  as  red  as  a 
beet. 

"  Shut  your  tongue,  Larry  Wilson,"  he  re- 


A   LIVELY  FIRE.  175 

torted.  "  I  say  you  shan't  chop  a  hole  in  the 
roof.     It  will  let  the  wind  get  to  the  flames." 

"  We  want  to  get  the  water  on  the  flames,"  re- 
plied Larry. 

"  And  I  say  you  shan't  touch  the  roof  with  the 
ax ! "  screamed  St.  John.  "  I  command  you  to 
stop." 

"  All  right  then,  we'll  stop,"  said  Larry,  and 
Jack  said  the  same.  In  a  moment  more  they 
were  both  on  the  ground,  the  other  lads  with 
them. 

"  Fo'  de  land  sake,  de  house  will  burn  up  suah 
now !  "  groaned  one  of  the  negroes. 

"  If  it  does,  it  will  be  St.  John's  fault,"  an- 
swered our  hero.  He  was  thoroughly  disgusted 
over  the  way  St.  John  had  acted. 

"  I'se  gwine  to  tell  de  missus  ob  dis !  "  cried  a 
second  negro,  and  darted  away  in  search  of  Mrs. 
Mary  Ruthven. 

Soon  the  lady  of  the  house  came  running  out, 
with  a  bundle  in  one  hand  and  a  box  of  jewelry  in 
the  other. 

"What  is  this  I  hear,  St.  John?"  she  de- 
manded. 

"  They  want  to  chop  in  the  roof,  mother,"  he 
answered. 

"  We  must  make  a  hole,  so  that  we  can  pour  the 
water  on  the  fire,"  explained  Jack. 


176  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Then  go  and  make  the  hole,"  returned  Mrs. 
Ruthven  readily.     "  And  please  be  quick !  " 

"  But,  mother "  began  St.  John. 

"  St.  John,  they  know  more  about  putting  out 
the  fire  than  you  do,"  was  the  tart  reply  of  the 
young  man's  parent.  "  Let  them  do  as  they 
wish." 

"  All  right  then,"  growled  the  unreasonable 
son.  "  But  if  the  house  burns  to  the  ground  it 
will  be  their  fault." 

"  It  won't  burn  to  the  ground,"  answered  Jack, 
and  leaped  up  the  ladder  again. 

Soon  our  hero  was  chopping  away  at  a  lively 
rate.  In  the  meantime  the  others  brought  all  the 
water  possible  to  the  scene. 

When  a  hole  was  made  in  the  roof  the  flames 
shot  skyward  for  six  or  eight  feet.  At  this  St. 
John  uttered  a  loud  cry,  almost  of  exultation : 

"  There,  what  did  I  tell  you?  Now  the  house 
will  be  burnt  to  the  ground  sure!  " 

"  Lively  with  that  water !  "  shouted  Jack,  ignor- 
ing him  completely.  And  as  the  pails  and  buckets 
came  up  in  a  stream,  he  dashed  the  contents  where 
they  would  do  the  most  good. 

It  was  perilous  work,  for  the  smoke  rolled  all 
around  him,  and  more  than  once  he  was  in  danger 
of  suffocation.  But  the  water  now  did  much 
good,  and  soon  the  flames  began  to  go  down. 


A   LIVELY  FIRE.  1 77 

"  Hurrah !  we  have  the  fire  under  control !  " 
shouted  Larry. 

It  was  true,  and  inside  of  quarter  of  an  hour  the 
last  spark  was  put  out.  Then  Jack  crawled  to  the 
ground,  almost  too  weak  to  stand. 

"  Is  it  out?  "  asked  Mrs.  Ruthven  anxiously. 

"  Yes,"  answered  our  hero. 

"  Oh,  I  am  so  glad !  "  and  she  caught  Jack 
warmly  by  the  hand.  At  heart  she  was  a  true 
woman,  and  could  appreciate  what  our  hero  had 
done  for  her. 

St.  John  stood  by  in  silence,  hardly  know- 
ing what  to  say.  At  last  he  shuffled  into  the 
house. 

"  The  water  has  made  an  awful  mess,"  he  de- 
clared, later,  to  his  mother.  "  They  needn't  have 
drowned  out  the  whole  house  like  this." 

"  Don't  say  another  word,  St.  John,"  answered 
his  mother  severely.  "  I  am  thankful  the  fire  is 
out,  even  if  you  are  not."  And  then  she  turned 
away  to  direct  the  servants  in  clearing  away  the 
muss  that  had  been  made. 

The  tide  of  battle  had  swept  off  in  the  direction 
of  Jack's  home,  and  anxious  to  know  how  Marion 
and  his  foster  mother  were  faring,  our  hero  soon 
after  left  Mrs.  Mary  Ruthven's  plantation,  and 
with  him  went  Larry  Wilson  and  three  others  of 
the  Guard. 


I78  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

From  a  distance  came  the  constant  cracking  of 
rifles  and  the  booming  of  cannon. 

"  Let  us  take  the  short  cut,"  suggested  Jack,  as 
he  pushed  across  the  fields.  "  There  can  be  no 
time  to  spare." 

"  It  is  hard  to  tell  who  is  winning  to-day,"  re- 
turned Larry.  "  At  first  I  thought  the  Yankees 
were  in  retreat." 

"  So  did  I,  Larry.  Well,  we'll  know  how  mat- 
ters stand  by  night." 

As  they  came  in  sight  of  our  hero's  home  a 
Federal  battery  dashed  into  sight,  drawn  by  horses 
covered  with  foam.  The  battery  was  followed  by 
a  regiment  of  infantry. 

"  Colonel  Stanton's  regiment !  "  cried  Jack. 

"  They  are  in  retreat ! "  answered  Larry. 
"  Look !  our  soldiers  are  coming  down  the  hill 
after  them  like  mad !  " 

"  There  is  Colonel  Stanton  on  horseback,"  went 
on  Jack,  straining  his  eyes.  "  What  a  fine  figure 
he  cuts !  " 

"  Bah,  Jack !  how  can  you  say  that  of  a  Yankee? 
I  have  half  a  mind  to  shoot  him." 

As  Larry  spoke  he  raised  his  gun,  but  Jack 
pulled  it  down. 

"Don't,  Larry!" 

"  Why  hot  ?  We  are  at  war,  and  he  Is  our 
enemy." 


A   LIVELY  FIRE.  179 

"I  know,  but " 

"  But  what  ?  Are  you  too  tender-hearted  to 
be  a  real  soldier?  " 

"  It  isn't  that,  Larry.  Colonel  Stanton  is  such 
a  fine  man " 

"  Those  Yankees  killed  Colonel  Ruthven,  don't 
forget  that,"  went  on  Larry  earnestly.  "  We 
ought  to  bring  down  every  one  of  them — if  we 
can." 

"  Perhaps,  but  I  would  like  to  see  Colonel  Stan- 
ton spared — I  cannot  tell  why." 

On  swept  the  soldiers,  and  for  the  moment  the 
Federals  were  hidden  by  the  smoke  of  gun  fire. 
Then,  as  they  reappeared,  Jack  set  up  a  cry,  half 
of  alarm. 

"  What  is  it?  "  queried  Larry. 

"  Colonel  Stanton  is  shot !  " 

"Shot?     You  are  sure?" 

"  Yes.  See,  he  has  fallen  over  the  neck  of  his 
horse  and  several  soldiers  are  running  toward 
him.     How  sad !     I  wonder  if  he  is  dead  ?  " 

"  If  he  is,  it  but  serves  him  right,  Jack." 

"  Perhaps;  but  I  hope  he  isn't  dead,"  answered 
Jack,  with  a  peculiar  look  in  his  anxious  face.  As 
the  Federal  colonel  disappeared  from  view  he 
gave  something  of  a  groan,  he  could  not  tell  why. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

AFTER     THE    BATTLE. 

The  Federal  battery  had  gained  a  hill  behind 
the  Ruthven  plantation,  and  from  this  point  began 
to  fire  rapidly  at  the  advancing  Confederates. 

Shot  and  shell  sped  over  the  homestead,  and  the 
inmates  were,  consequently,  much  alarmed. 

"  We  will  do  well  if  we  escape  this  murderous 
fire,"  said  Mrs.  Alice  Ruthven  to  Marion. 

"  I  wish  Jack  was  here,"  answered  the  girl. 
"  Where  can  he  be  keeping  himself?  " 

"  He  remained  behind  to  protect  the  property 
in  town." 

The  tide  of  battle  grew  fiercer,  and  presently, 
just  as  Marion  had  gone  to  the  kitchen  to  get 
something  for  the  invalid  soldiers,  i  heavy  shot 
passed  through  the  sitting  room  of  the  house,  tear- 
ing down  the  plaster  of  two  walls  and  damaging 
much  of  the  furniture. 

Of  course  all  in  the  mansion  were  much 
alarmed.  The  negroes,  especially,  were  panic- 
stricken,  and  ran  forth  in  all  directions. 

"  We  is  gwine  ter  be  murdered:  "  shrieked  one. 
"  Da  is  gwine  ter  shoot  us  all  ter  pieces!  " 

180 


after  the  Battle.  181 

"Marion,  are  you  hurt?"  came  from  Mrs. 
Ruthven,  who  was  in  the  front  hallway  at  the 
time. 

"  No,  mother.     Were  you  hit  ?  " 

"  No,  Marion." 

"  Where  did  the  shot  strike?  " 

"  Through  the  sitting  room,  I  believe." 

Both  ran  to  investigate,  and  in  the  sitting  room 
a  sight  met  their  gaze  calculated  to  stun  the 
stoutest  heart. 

Plaster  and  splinters  lay  in  all  directions,  and 
the  wounded  soldiers  were  crying  for  aid  and  for 
mercy,  thinking  the  enemy  close  at  hand. 

Under  a  mass  of  wreckage  on  the  floor  lay 
George  Walden,  senseless,  and  with  the  blood 
flowing  from  a  wound  in  his  temple. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Walden  is  hurt,  mamma !  "  shrieked 
Marion,  and  ran  to  raise  him  up. 

They  carried  the  wounded  soldier  to  another 
part  of  the  house  and  laid  him  on  a  fresh  cot. 
Then,  while  Marion  cared  for  him,  Mrs.  Ruthven 
went  back  to  aid  the  others.  In  the  meantime  Old 
Ben  was  instructed  to  hoist  the  hospital  flag  to  a 
higher  point  on  the  mansion. 

The  shot  appeared  to  be  about  the  last  fired  in 
that  vicinity,  and  soon  the  shooting  came  from  a 
distance,  as  Federals  and  Confederates  withdrew 
in  the  direction  of  the  mountains. 


1 82  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Mother !  Marion !  are  you  safe?  "  It  was  the 
cry  from  Jack  as  he  came  up,  almost  out  of  breath 
from  running. 

"  Yes,  thank  Heaven,  we  are  safe  so  far,"  an- 
swered Mrs.  Ruthven.  "  Where  have  you  been— 
at  the  town  ?  " 

"  No,  I  was  over  to  St.  John's  place,"  answered 
our  hero,  and  in  a  few  words  told  about  the  fire. 

"  We,  too,  have  suffered,"  said  Mrs.  Ruthven. 
"  A  solid  shot  passed  through  the  sitting  room." 

"  Did  it  hurt  anybody?  " 

"  One  of  the  wounded  soldiers  was  knocked 
senseless.  The  others  were  more  frightened  than 
hurt." 

"  It  has  been  a  hot  fight  all  around.  And,  oh, 
mother!  what  do  you  think?  I  saw  Colonel 
Stanton  shot  down !  " 

"  Is  that  true,  Jack  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  saw  the  whole  thing  as  plain  as  day. 
It's  too  bad.  He  was  such  a  nice  gentleman,  even 
if  he  was  a  Yankee." 

"  You  are  right,  Jack;  he  was  indeed  a  gentle- 
man. I  felt  perfectly  safe  while  he  was  in  the 
vicinity." 

It  was  not  long  before  Jack  went  upstairs  to  see 
how  Marion  was  faring.  He  found  his  sister 
working  over  George  Walden,  trying  to  restore 
the  hurt  soldier  to  his  senses. 


AFTER    THE  BATTLE.  183 

"  He  is  pretty  badly  off,"  said  Marion.  "  I 
wish  we  had  a  doctor." 

"  Where  is  that  surgeon  who  was  here?  " 

"  Gone  to  the  battlefield." 

"  I  don't  know  of  any  doctor  to  get  just  now, 
Marion." 

"  Then  we  must  do  the  best  we  can  ourselves. 
And  by  the  way,  Jack,  this  soldier  knows  Dr. 
Mackey." 

"What?" 

"  Yes,  and  he  said  that  Dr.  Mackey  is  more  or 
less  of  a  fraud,  and  never  was  married." 

"  Oh,  Marion !  if  he  could  only  prove  that." 

"  He  thinks  he  can.  He  told  me  that  the  doc- 
tor came  from  Philadelphia,  and  Cousin  Harry 
told  me  the  same  thing." 

"  We  must  follow  up  this  man's  record.  I  am 
now  certain  he  is  not  my  father." 

"  The  soldier  thought  that  perhaps  there  was 
property  coming  to  you,  and  that  Dr.  Mackey 
wanted  tc  get  hold  of  it." 

"  I  don't  think  he'd  be  above  such  a  scheme, 
Marion.  I  never  liked  his  looks  from  the  first 
time  I  met  him,  at  the  bridge." 

"  I  know  that,  Jack." 

There  was  no  time  to  say  more,  for  there  was 
too  much  to  do.  Marion  continued  her  work 
around  the  sick  rooms,  and  Jack  went  out  to  see 


1 84  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

how  matters  were  faring  at  the  stable  and  the 
barns. 

He  had  hardly  gained  the  vicinity  of  the  stable 
when  he  heard  a  commotion  going  on  within. 
Old  Ben  and  two  of  the  Home  Guard  boys  were 
having  a  fight  with  three  guerrillas,  who'  were 
bent  upon  stealing  several  horses. 

"Let  go  dem  hosses!"  Jack  heard  Old  Ben 
cry.  "  Dem  is  private  prop'ty;  don't  yo' 
know  dat  ?  " 

"  Git  out  o'  the  way,  nigger !  "  cried  the  leader 
of  the  guerrillas.  "  We  want  these  hosses,  an' 
we  are  bound  to  have  'em !  " 

"  If  you  touch  the  horses  I'll  fire  at  you !  "  came 
from  one  of  the  Home  Guard  boys,  but  scarcely 
had  he  spoken  when  one  of  the  guerrillas  raised 
his  pistol  and  fired  on  the  lad,  wounding  him  in 
the  shoulder. 

This  cowardly  action  made  Jack's  blood  boil, 
and  not  stopping  to  think  twice,  he  raised  the  gun 
he  carried  and  blazed  away.  His  aim  took  the 
guerrilla  in  the  breast,  and  he  sank  down  seriously, 
though  not  mortally,  wounded. 

A  yell  went  up  from  the  other  guerrillas,  and 
they  fired  at  random,  but  did  no  damage  to  any- 
body but  Old  Ben,  who  was  shot  through  the  left 
shoulder.  Then  the  other  boys  fired,  and  the 
guerrillas  who  could  do  so  took  to  their  heels. 


AFTER    THE  BATTLE.  185 

"  Ben,  are  you  badly  hurt  ?  "  asked  Jack,  when 
the  encounter  was  over. 

"  Not  wery,  Massah  Jack,"  answered  the  faith- 
ful old  colored  man,  and  went  to  the  house  to 
bind  up  his  wound. 

In  the  meantime  the  guerrilla  who  had  been 
shot  lay  on  the  floor,  raving  and  cursing  in  a 
frightful  manner. 

"  Stop  your  swearing,  or  we'll  do  nothing  for 
you,"  said  Jack  sharply,  and  then  the  fellow  be- 
came more  reasonable.  He  begged  to  have  a  doc- 
tor care  for  his  wounds. 

"  We  have  no  doctor  here,  but  we'll  care  for 
you  as  best  we  can,"  said  our  hero,  and  this  was 
done,  although  the  guerrilla  was  kept  at  the  stable, 
on  a  bed  of  straw. 

At  nightfall  the  fighting  came  to  an  end,  and 
all  became  quiet  around  the  plantation.  It  had 
been  more  or  less  of  a  drawn  battle,  and  it  was 
expected  that  the  contest  would  be  renewed  at 
daybreak. 

"Are  you  going  to  bed,  Jack?"  asked  Mrs. 
Ruthven,  a  little  after  ten  o'clock. 

"  No,  mother;  I  think  it  best  that  I  remain  on 
guard,"  he  answered.  "  Some  of  those  guer- 
rillas may  come  back,  you  know." 

"  But  you  must  be  tired  out." 

"  I  am;  but  I  reckon  I  can  stay  up  during  the 


1 86  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

night  without  falling  asleep  at  my  post,"  he  said, 
smiling  faintly. 

"  Do  as  you  think  best,  Jack;  you  and  Marion 
must  be  my  mainstays  now,"  and  she  kissed  him 
affectionately. 

Hour  after  hour  of  the  night  wore  along  and 
nothing  of  moment  happened.  Jack  spent  the 
most  of  the  time  around  the  house,  but  toward 
daybreak  made  the  rounds  of  the  stable  and  barns. 

He  found  the  guerrilla  groaning  dismally. 

"  Give  me  sum  terbacker,  will  yer  ?  "  asked  the 
man  presently. 

Not  wishing  to  appear  too  unkind,  Jack  pro- 
cured a  twist  of  tobacco  for  him,  which  he  began 
to  chew  savagely. 

"  I'm  in  a  putty  bad  fix,  I  reckon,"  said  the 
guerrilla,  after  chewing  in  silence  for  several 
minutes. 

"  If  you  are,  you  have  only  yourself  to  thank 
for  it,"  returned  Jack  coldly. 

"  Oh,  I  aint  complainin',  sonny.  It's  the  for- 
tunes o'  war — as  them  poets  call  it,  I  reckon." 

"  You  might  be  in  better  business  than  stealing 
horses." 

"  So  I  might,  sonny — an'  then  agin'  I  might 
do  wuss — yes,,;  a  heap  wuss.  I  was  gwine  ter 
turn  them  hosses  over  to  the  Confed'rate  govern- 
ment— they  need  hoss-flesh." 


AFTER    THE  BATTLE.  187 

"  You  were  going  to  do  nothing  of  the  kind. 
You  are  not  a  soldier,  you  are  a  common  thief." 

"  Now,  don't  be  hard  on  me,  sonny.  I  fit  on 
the  right  side,  I  did,"  drawled  the  guerrilla  anx- 
iously. 

"  You  fought  only  for  your  own  good." 

"  Taint  so,  sonny;  I  fit  fer  the  glorious  Stars 
an'  Bars.  Wot  are  ye  calkerlatin'  ter  do  with  me, 
sonny  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  yet.  I  reckon  you'll  stay  where 
you  are  for  the  present." 

"  That's  so  too — I  can't  move  nohow.  Hullo, 
who's  thet?" 

At  this  question  Jack  turned  suddenly — to  find 
himself  confronted  by  Dr.  Mackey  and  two  sol- 
diers in  Confederate  uniform ! 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

DR.     MACKEY'S    BOLD    MOVE. 

It  must  be  confessed  that  Jack  was  startled,  for 
he  had  not  heard  the  approach  of  the  surgeon  and 
his  companions,  who  had  come  up  noiselessly  and 
on  foot. 

"  Hullo,  you  here?  "  asked  Dr.  Mackey,  as  he 
gazed  at  Jack  in  some  astonishment. 

"What  brings  you  here,  Dr.  Mackey?"  de- 
manded our  hero. 

"  I  am  looking  for  the  dead  or  wounded  in  this 
neighborhood,"  was  the  answer.  "  Whom  have 
you  here  ?  " 

"  A  guerrilla  we  shot  down." 

"Ha!  who  shot  him?" 

"  I  did.     He  was  trying  to  steal  our  horses." 

"Dr.  Mackey,  don't  you  know  me?"  came 
from  the  guerrilla. 

"  Pete  Gendron !  "  muttered  the  surgeon.  "  I 
never  expected  to  see  you  here." 

"  Nor  did  I  calkerlate  to  see  you,  doc.  But  I'm 
mighty  glad  yer  come.  Ye  kin  git  me  out  o'  this 
fix."   " 

As  he  spoke,  the  guerrilla  eyed  Dr.  Mackey 

188 


DR.    MACKEY' S  BOLD  MOVE.  1 89 

sharply.  On  more  than  one  occasion  he  had  been 
the  doctor's  tool,  and  now  he  thought  it  no  more 
than  fair  that  trie  medical  man  should  stand  by 
him. 

"  Evidently  you  know  this  guerrilla,"  said  Jack 
slowly. 

"  I  do,"  answered  the  doctor  slowly.  He 
hardly  knew  how  to  proceed. 

"  I  aint  no  guerrilla,  an'  Dr.  Mackey  kin  prove 
it,"  cried  Pete  Gendron.  The  coming  of  the 
medical  man  had  raised  his  spirits  wonderfully. 

"  You  are  a  guerrilla." 

"  I  aint.  Dr.  Mackey  will  prove  my  words. 
He's  a  friend  o'  mine.     Aint  ye,  doc  ?  " 

There  was  a  peculiar  emphasis  to  the  guer- 
rilla's words  which  made  the  surgeon  shift  un- 
easily from  one  foot  to  the  other. 

"  If  I  don't  humor  Gendron,  he  may  expose 
me,"  thought  the  surgeon  dismally.  "  He  knows 
too  much  to  be  made  an  enemy  of." 

"  Is  he  your  friend?  "  asked  Jack. 

"  Not  exactly  my  friend,  Jack,  but  I  know  him 
pretty  well,"  answered  Dr.  Mackey  slowly,  as  if 
trying  to  feel  his  way. 

"  I  aint  a  guerrilla,  am  I  ?  "  put  in  Pete  Gen- 
dron eagerly. 

"  N — no,  he  is  not  a — a  guerrilla,"  stammered 
the  surgeon.     "  There  must  be  some  mistake." 


190  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  I  want  to  be  taken  to  the  Confed'rate  hospi- 
tal," went  on  Pete  Gendron. 

"  But  he  and  his  comrades  were  trying  to  steal 
our  horses,"  said  Jack  firmly. 

"  As  I  said  before,  my  dear  Jack,  there  must  be 
some  mistake,"  returned  the  surgeon  smoothly. 
Suddenly  his  face  brightened.  "  Gendron,  you 
made  a  mistake  by  leaving  the  hospital  so  soon. 
Your  fighting  in  to-day's  battle  must  have  made 
you  light-headed.  You  probably  came  here  by 
mistake." 

The  guerrilla  was  crafty  enough  to  seize  upon 
the  cue  thus  given. 

"  Thet  must  be  the  size  on  it,"  he  murmured. 
"  My  head  has  felt  queer  ever  since  I  got  out  in 
the  sun.  Reckon  I  aint  accountable  fer  all  my 
actions,  doc." 

"  He  is  a  perfectly  honest  man,"  said  Dr. 
Mackey  to  Jack.  "  I  have  seen  him  fight  most 
bravely  in  half  a  dozen  battles." 

Jack  felt  that  the  surgeon  was  falsifying,  but 
how  could  he  prove  it  ?  Then  he  felt  that  there 
would  be  no  use  in  keeping  the  guerrilla  at  the 
plantation. 

"  Well,  take  him  away,  if  you  want  to,"  he  an- 
swered. "  But  I  shall  still  hold  my  opinion  of  the 
rascal." 

"  You  are  as  insulting  as  ever,  Jack,"  sneered 


DR.    MACKEY' S  BOLD  MOVE.  19* 

the  medical  man.  "  I  came  here,  hoping  to  find 
you  of  a  different  turn  of  mind." 

"  I  shall  never  change  my  mind  regarding  you, 
Dr.  Mackey,"  was  our  hero's  ready  reply. 

"  Come  outside,  I  would  like  to  talk  to  you  in 
private." 

The  surgeon  spoke  in  a  whisper,  and  feeling 
there  would  be  no  harm  in  listening  to  what  he 
might  have  to  say,  Jack  followed  him  into  the 
open. 

"  I  want  to  know  what  you  intend  to  do  about 
coming  with  me,  Jack,"  said  the  medical  man, 
when  they  were  out  of  hearing  distance  of  the 
others. 

"  I  don't  intend  to  go  with  you,  Dr.  Mackey." 

"  You  are  hard  on  your  father." 

"  Once  and  for  the  last  time,  let  me  say  that  I 
do  not  acknowledge  you  as  my  father." 

"  Nevertheless,  I  am  your  parent,  and  will  soon 
be  in  a  position  to  prove  my  claim." 

"  And  when  that  time  comes  I  may  be  in  a  posi- 
tion to  prove  you  an  impostor,  Dr.  Mackey." 

"  What !  This  to  me !  "  ejaculated  the  medical 
man,  in  a  rage. 

"  Yes,  that  to  you." 

"  Boy,  you  are — are  mad — you  do  not  know 
what  you  are  saying." 

"  I  know  perfectly  well  what  I  am  saying." 


19*  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Prove  me  an  impostor  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  But  how  can  you,  when  I  am  exactly  what  I 
claim  to  be." 

"  Dr.  Mackey,  where  were  you  located  before 
the  war  broke  out?  " 

"  You  heard  my  story,  Jack.  There  is  no  use 
to  repeat  it." 

"  You  came  from  Philadelphia." 

"  Ha !  who  told  you  that  ?  " 

"  You  were  connected  with  a  medical  company 
there  which  was  put  out  of  business  by  the  post 
office  authorities  because  of  using  the  mails  fraud- 
ulently." 

At  this  assertion  Dr.  Mackey  fell  back  as  if 
shot. 

"Jack,  I  demand  to  know  who  has  told  you 
this?" 

"  You  are  a  bachelor,  and  were  never  married 
to  my  mother  or  to  any  other  lady." 

"  I  demand  to  know  who  told  you  this — this — 
string  of  falsehoods !  "  cried  the  doctor,  catching 
our  hero  by  the  arm. 

"  A  part  of  the  story  came  from  Mrs.  Ruth- 
ven's  nephew." 

"  What,  St.  John  Ruthven  ?  I  hardly  know 
the  fellow." 

"  No,  another  nephew,  Dr.  Harry  Powell,  who 


DR.   MACKEY'S  BOLD  MOVE.  1 93 

is  now  attached  to  the  Yankee  army.     He  hails 
from  Philadelphia." 

"  That  viper ! "  ejaculated  the  medical  man, 
then  tried  to  check  himself.  "  I — er — that  is,  I 
know  Powell  distantly.  But  he  is  much  mis- 
taken." 

"  I  don't  think  so — and  neither  does  Mrs.  Ruth- 
ven  nor  Marion." 

"  So  you  have  been  harboring  a  Yankee  in  this 
place,  eh?  A  pretty  business  to  be  in  surely," 
sneered  the  surgeon. 

"  We  could  not  help  ourselves.  But  I  have 
another  witness  against  you." 

"Another?" 

"  Yes,  a  Confederate  soldier  who  knows  you 
well.  He  can  testify  that  you  never  had  either 
sweetheart  or  wife." 

"Who  is  the  man?" 

"  For  the  present  I  must  decline  to  disclose  his 
identity." 

"  You  are  trying  to  fool  me ! "  stormed  Dr. 
Mackey. 

"  No,  I  am  telling  you  only  the  truth.  Now  I 
wish  you  to  answer  me  a  few  questions.  Why 
are  you  so  anxious  to  claim  me  as  your  son  ?  " 

"  Because  you  are  my  son.  Good  or  bad,  I 
cannot  go  back  upon  my  own  flesh  and  blood,  as 
you  are  trying  to  do." 


194  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  I  will  never  believe  I  am  your  son !  "  cried 
Jack  impetuously.  "  Do  you  know  what  ]  think  ? 
I  think  you  are  trying  to  get  hold  of  me  so  that 
you  can  obtain  some  money  belonging  to  me." 

"  You — you  little  rascal !  "  cried  Dr.  Mackey. 
"  How  dare  you  talk  to  me  in  this  fashion  ?  " 

"  Because  I  believe  you  are  a  fraud,  that's 
why,"  answered  our  hero  defiantly. 

A  commingled  look  of  rage  and  disappointment 
came  into  the  medical  man's  face,  which  suddenly 
gave  place  to  a  look  of  cunning. 

"  I  will  make  you  smart  for  this,"  he  stormed, 
and  caught  Jack  firmly  by  both  arms.  "  Garder ! 
Mason !     Come  here !  "  he  called  loudly. 

"  What  is  wanted  ?  "  asked  one  of  the  Con- 
federate soldiers,  as  both  came  rushing  from  the 
stable. 

"  Conduct  this  young  man  to  our  camp,  and 
see  that  he  does  not  escape  from  you." 

"  You  shan't  take  me  from  home !  "  ejaculated 
Jack.     "Let  me  go!" 

He  struggled  to  release  himself,  but  the  two 
soldiers  were  powerful  fellows,  and  soon  made 
him  their  prisoner. 

"  You  are  making  a  mistake,"  puffed  Jack. 
"  Dr.  Mackey  is  a  first-class  fraud." 

"  Dr.  Mackey  is  all  right,"  put  in  Gehdrcn,  the 
guerrilla. 


DR.    MACKEY'S  BOLD   MOVE.  1 95 

"  He  must  be  held,"  said  the  surgeon.  "  I  will 
be  responsible  for  this  arrest." 

"  At  least  let  me  see  Mrs.  Ruthven  before  I 
go." 

"  No,  take  him  away  at  once,"  cried  the  sur- 
geon quickly.  "  Then  you  can  return  for  Gen- 
dron." 

"Where  shall  we  take  him,  doctor?"  asked 
one  of  the  privates. 

"  To  the  old  red  house  up  the  river.  You 
know  the  place  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

No  more  was  said,  and  a  minute  later  Jack 
found  himself  being  conducted  across  the  planta- 
tion by  a  back  way.  He  wanted  to  cry  out,  but 
one  of  the  soldiers  leveled  his  gun  and  commanded 
him  to  keep  silent. 

As  soon  as  the  party  of  three  was  gone  Dr. 
Mackey  entered  into  earnest  conversation  with 
Gendron,  at  the  same  time  giving  attention  to  the 
guerrilla's  wound. 

"  Very  well,  Pete,"  he  said,  at  the  conclusion. 
"  Stick  by  me  and  I'll  stick  by  you." 

"  It's  a  whack,"  replied  the  wounded  man. 

"  If  anybody  from  the  house  comes  here,  tell 
them  that  Jack  went  off  to  get  some  Confederate 
ambulance  corps  to  take  you  away." 

"  I  will." 


196  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

A  few  words  in  addition  passed  between  the 
pair,  and  then  Dr.  Mackey  left  the  stable. 

He  was  anxious  to  have  another  talk  with  Mrs. 
Ruthven,  but  concluded  that  he  must  postpone  the 
interview  until  later. 

"  I  reckon  I  have  done  enough  for  one  night," 
he  said  to  himself  grimly.  "  With  that  boy  in 
my  power,  perhaps  she  and  the  others  will  sing  a 
different  tune.  Anyway,  I'll  not  let  the  lad  out 
of  my  grasp  until  he  promises  to  do  exactly  as  I 
desire." 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE    HUNT    FOR    JACK. 

"  Marion,  where  is  Jack  ?  M  asked  Mrs.  Ruth- 
ven,  in  the  morning. 

"  I  do  not  know,  mamma." 

"  When  did  you  see  him  last  ?  ,9 

"  Just  before  he  started  for  the  stable  last 
night." 

Mrs.  Ruthven  was  very  much  worried,  and  with 
good  cause,  as  my  readers  know.  She  sought 
out  Old  Ben,  who  had  his  shoulder  bandaged. 

"  Ben,  have  you  seen  Jack  ?  " 

"  No,  missus,  I  aint." 

"  Is  he  around  the  stable  or  the  barns?  " 

"  Perhaps  he  is,  missus.  Ole  Ben  will  go  an' 
look,  if  yo'  want  it." 

"  Yes,  Ben;  I  cannot  imagine  what  has  become 
of  him." 

Old  Ben  hurried  off,  and  Mrs.  Ruthven  went 
upstairs  to  wait  upon  George  Walden,  who  had 
now  developed  a  raging  fever. 

"  It  is  very  odd  what  has  become  of  Jack,"  said 
the  lady  of  the  plantation.  "  He  never  went  off 
like  this  before." 

197 


19^  VOLTNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

It  was  fully  half  an  hour  before  Old  Ben  came 
back.     The  colored  man  looked  much  worried. 

"  Can't  find  him  nowhar,  missus,"  he  said. 
"  An'  dat  dar  guerrilla  is  gone,  too." 

"  The  man  who  was  shot  while  trying  to  steal 
the  horses  ?  " 

"  Yes,  missus." 

"  Then  something  must  be  wrong.  Didn't  you 
find  any  trace  at  all  of  Jack?  " 

"  Not  de  slightest,  missus,  Old  Ben  looked 
eberywhar,  too — 'deed  I  did,  missus." 

"  I  do  not  doubt  you,  Ben.  But  this  is  terrible. 
Jack  must  be  somewhere." 

"  Dat's  so,  too,  missus." 

"Were  there  any  signs  of  violence  about?" 
asked  Marion.  "  Any — any  blood,  for  example?  " 

"  Some  blood  at  de  stable,  Miss  Marion.  But 
I  rackon  dat  was  from  de  shootin'  ob  dat  dar 
guerrilla." 

Marion  heaved  a  deep  sigh,  and  Mrs.  Ruthven 
shook  her  head  slowly.  Here  was  fresh  trouble, 
more  painful  than  any  that  had  gone  before. 

"  The  guerrilla  couldn't  go  off  alone,  could 
he?  "  asked  Marion. 

"  Jack  said  he  was  quite  seriously  wounded, 
Marion.  Still,  the  rascal  may  have  been  playing 
possum  with  Jack,  and  stolen  off  on  the  sly." 

"  If  he  was  strong  enough  to  do  that,  perhaps 


THE  HUNT  FOR  JACK.  199 

he  took  Jack  with  him  to  keep  the  boy  from  sound- 
ing an  alarm." 

"  You  may  be  right.  We  must  find  the  boy  if 
we  can." 

Slowly  the  day  wore  away,  and  no  tidings  came 
to  the  plantation.  Toward  evening  St.  John  put 
in  an  appearance. 

"  The  soldiers  have  cleared  out,"  he  said. 
"  There  isn't  a  regiment  of  any  sort  within  a 
dozen  miles." 

"  I  am  glad  of  it,"  answered  Mrs.  Ruthven, 
and  then  continued  quickly,  "  Have  you  seen  any- 
thing of  Jack  ?  " 

"  Do  you  mean  to-day?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  No,  I  haven't  seen  him  since  he  made  such  a 
mess  of  it  up  at  our  house,  putting  out  the  fire," 
growled  the  spendthrift. 

"  It's  a  wonder  you  didn't  put  out  the  fire  your- 
self," put  in  Marion  sharply.  She  did  not  like 
talk  against  her  brother. 

"  I — I  was  sick,  sicker  than  anybody  supposed," 
stammered  St.  John.  "  Had  I  been  at  all  well, 
things  would  have  gone  on  very  differently,  I  can 
assure  you." 

"  Then  you  haven't  seen  or  heard  of  Jack,"  said 
Mrs.  Ruthven.  "  He  has  been  missing  since  last 
night." 


200  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  No,  I  haven't  seen  him — and  I  don't  want  to 
see  him.  He  insulted  me  and  made  trouble  be- 
tween me  and  my  mother." 

"  On  account  of  the  fire?  " 

"  Yes.  He  thinks  he  is  a  regular  lord  of  crea- 
tion, he  does,"  went  on  St.  John  hotly.  "  He 
wants  dressing  down,  Aunt  Alice." 

"  I  cannot  believe  Jack  has  done  anything  very 
wrong." 

"  He  is  a  nobody,  and  puts  on  altogether  too 
many  airs." 

Mrs.  Ruthven  would  not  listen  to  this  talk,  and 
changed  the  subject  by  asking  him  what  had 
brought  him  over  from  his  home. 

"  I  was  asked  to  come  over  and  see  if  you  had 
any  of  the  Yankee  wounded  here." 

"Who  sent  you?" 

"  Colonel  Bromley  of  our  army." 

"  No,  we  have  only  Confederates  here." 

"  How  many?  " 

"  Five.  Four  of  them  are  doing  very  well, 
you  can  tell  the  colonel,  but  the  fifth  was  hurt 
when  our  house  was  struck  by  a  cannon  ball,  and 
he  is  now  in  a  high  fever." 

"  All  right,  I'll  tell  him." 

"Have  you  joined  the  army  at  last?"  ques- 
tioned Marion  curiously. 

"  Not  exactly,  but  I  told  the  colonel  I  would 


THE  HUNT  FOR  JACK.  201 

help  him  in  any  manner  that  I  could,"  answered 
St.  John,  and  hurried  away  for  fear  of  being  ques- 
tioned further. 

The  truth  of  the  matter  was  that  the  fire  had 
brought  on  a  bitter  quarrel  between  St.  John  and 
his  mother,  and  the  parent  had  insisted  that  the 
son  overcome  his  cowardice  and  do  something 
for  his  country.  St.  John  had  demurred  in  vain, 
and  had  at  last  gone  to  the  Confederate  head- 
quarters and  offered  his  services;  but  as  a  civilian, 
not  as  a  soldier. 

When  the  young  man  was  gone  Mrs.  Ruthven 
and  Marion  had  Old  Ben  and  the  others  make 
another  search  for  Jack,  and  this  hunt  lasted  far 
into  the  night. 

But  it  was  of  no  avail;  our  hero  had  disap- 
peared as  utterly  as  if  the  earth  had  opened  and 
swallowed  him. 

"  Mamma,  do  you  think  it  possible  that  the 
Yankees  captured  him?  "  was  the  question  Marion 
put. 

"  Not  unless  Jack  left  home  during  the  night, 
Marion.  And  what  would  cause  him  to  leave 
without  telling  us  that  he  was  going?  " 

"  That  is  true.  Jack  wouldn't  do  anything  to 
cause  us  anxiety." 

"  It  is  a  great  mystery,"  sighed  Mrs.  Ruthven. 

Later  a  negro,  living  on  the  mountain  side, 


202  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

came  down  to  the  plantation  and  asked  to  see  the 
lady  of  the  house. 

"  I  was  t'inkin'  yo'  would  be  wantin'  ter  know 
wot  became  o'  Master  Jack,"  said  the  colored  man, 
who  rejoiced  in  the  name  of  Columbus  Wash- 
ington. 

"  What  do  you  know  of  him  ?  "  asked  Mrs. 
Ruthven  quickly. 

"  I  seed  him  early  dis  mornin',  missus — away 
up  in  the  mountains." 

"  The  mountains?     Alone?" 

"  No,  missus — he  was  a  prisoner." 

"Of  the  Yankees?" 

"  De  men  wot  had  him  was  dressed  as  Con- 
fed' rates,  missus." 

"  You  did  not  know  them  ?  " 

"  No,  missus." 

"  And  you  are  certain  that  Jack  was  held  a 
prisoner?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  missus,  fo'  one  ob  de  men  said  he 
would  shoot  if  de  boy  tried  to  git  away  from 
him." 

Mrs.  Ruthven  clasped  her  hands  in  despair. 

"  A  prisoner !     Did  you  speak  to  him  ?  " 

"  No,  no !  I  was  afraid  to  show  myself.  De 
men  was  armed  an'  I  wasn't — an'  I  didn't  want 
to  git  in  no  trouble." 

"  Where  were  they  taking  Jack  ?  " 


THE  HUNT  FOR  JACK.  203 

"  I  can't  say  as  to  dat.  I  met  dem  on  the  ole 
mill  trail  near  de  blasted  tree." 

"  You  saw  nobody  else  around?  " 

"  No,  missus." 

"  It  is  very  strange  why  Jack  should  be  carried 
off  in  this  fashion.  I  wish  you  had  followed 
them  and  seen  what  became  of  my  boy." 

"  Perhaps  I  kin  follow  dem  by  de  trail,  missus. 
Ise  putty  good  at  dat." 

"  Then  do  so  by  all  means,  and  I  will  reward 
you  for  your  work." 

"  T'ank  yo/  missus ;  yo'  was  always  de  lady  to 
remember  poor  niggers," 

"  If  you  wish,  you  can  take  Old  Ben  with  you. 
He  is  good  at  trailing,  too." 

So  it  was  arranged,  and  half  an  hour  later  Old 
Ben  and  Columbus  Washington  were  on  their 
way.  Both  knew  the  mountains  thoroughly,  and 
lost  no  time  in  getting  to  the  spot  where  Jack  had 
last  been  seen. 

Then  began  a  hunt  for  the  trail,  and  this  dis- 
covered, both  went  on  once  more,  little  dreaming 
of  the  surprise  in  store  for  them. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

A    REMARKABLE    REVELATION. 

Alarming  news  reached  the  Ruthven  planta- 
tion that  night.  A  large  force  of  Federal  soldiers 
had  loomed  up  in  the  vicinity,  and  the  Con- 
federate army  had  been  compelled  to  fall  back  to 
the  mountains  and  to  the  valley  beyond. 

"  Our  victory  is  swallowed  up  in  defeat,"  said 
Marion,  but  even  as  she  spoke  a  soft  look  came 
into  her  eyes.  Perhaps,  if  the  Yankees  were  com- 
ing again,  she  would  see  Harry  Powell  once  more. 
Even  though  she  did  not  wish  to  acknowledge  it 
to  herself,  Marion  thought  much  of  her  dashing 
cousin. 

"  What  a  man  he  is,  compared  with  cowardly 
St.  John !  "  she  said  to  herself.  And  then  she 
prayed  to  Heaven  that  Harry  might  come  out  of 
the  war  unharmed. 

Marion's  wish  was  gratified  so  far  as  seeing 
Harry  Powell  was  concerned,  for  the  young  sur- 
geon dashed  up  on  horseback  early  in  the  morn- 
ing. 

"  I  could  not  keep  away,"  he  said,  after  shaking 


A  REMARKABLE  REVELATION.  205 

hands  with  Mrs.  Ruthven  and  his  cousin.  "  I 
heard  that  the  fight  was  fierce  in  this  neighbor- 
hood, and  I  wanted  to  learn  if  you  had  suffered." 

"  We  had  a  cannon  ball  go  through  the  sitting 
room,"  answered  Mrs.  Ruthven. 

"  And  was  anybody  hurt?  " 

"  One  of  the  wounded  soldiers  was  hit.  He 
has  now  a  high  fever  in  consequence." 

"  Thank  God  the  cannon  ball  did  not  hit  you  or 
Marion ! "  ejaculated  Harry  Powell,  and  gave 
Marion  a  look  that  made  the  girl  blush  deeply. 
"  Somebody  said  the  Ruthven  place  had  been  on 
fire." 

"  That  was  at  St.  John's  place,"  answered 
Marion.  "  But  the  fire  was  put  out  before  great 
damage  was  done." 

"I  am  happy  to  see  that  you  were  not  hurt, 
Harry,"  said  Mrs.  Ruthven.  "  You  must  have 
been  in  peril  many  times." 

"  I  was  in  peril,  aunt,  and  I  did  not  escape 
wholly.  I  was  wounded  in  the  shoulder,  al- 
though the  hurt  is  of  small  consequence." 

"  I  am  glad  that  you  escaped,"  cried  Marion. 
And  she  gave  him  a  look  that  meant  a  good  deal. 

"  Poor  Colonel  Stanton  was  not  so  fortunate," 
went  on  the  young  surgeon.  "  He  was  shot 
through  the  breast,  and  now  lies  between  life  and 
death." 


206  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Jack  saw  him  shot,  from  a  distance,"  said 
Mrs.  Ruthven. 

"  Did  he?     And  where  is  Jack  now?  " 

"  He  has  disappeared,"  and  the  lady  of  the  plan- 
tation gave  her  nephew  some  of  the  particulars. 

Harry  was  invited  into  the  house,  and  he  re- 
mained to  lunch,  in  the  meantime  telling  of  the 
general  progress  of  the  war. 

"  Frankly,  I  wish  it  was  at  an  end,"  he  said. 
"  I  hate  to  see  one  section  of  our  glorious  country 
fighting  the  other.     It  is  not  right." 

During  the  talk  it  developed  that  Colonel  Stan- 
ton was  lying  at  a  house  about  half  a  mile  distant, 
up  the  bay  road. 

"  He  acts  very  queerly,"  said  Harry  Powell, 
"  just  as  if  his,  wound  had  affected  his  mind." 

"  Can  we  do  anything  for  him?"  asked  Mrs. 
Ruthven. 

"  I  do  not  know  of  anything  now.  But  per- 
haps I'll  think  of  something  later,  aunt.  I  do'  not 
wish  the  colonel  to  suffer  any  more  than  is  neces- 
sary.    He  is  a  thorough  gentleman." 

"  I  feel  you  are  right,  Harry.  He  has  given 
me  an  entirely  different  idea  of  Yankees  from 
what  I  had  before,"  returned  Mrs.  Ruthven 
warmly. 

The  lady  of  the  plantation  became  deeply  inter- 
ested in  the  wounded  colonel's  case,  and  when  the 


A   REMARKABLE   REVELATION.  207 

young  surgeon  went  away  she  had  one  of  the 
negroes  of  the  place  hitch  up  a  horse  to  the  car- 
riage and  drive  her  over  to  where  the  wounded 
officer  lay. 

The  colonel  was  in  something  of  a  fever,  and 
hardly  recognized  her.  For  a  long  time  he  kept 
muttering  to  himself,  but  she  could  not  catch  his 
words. 

"  The  ship  is  doomed !  "  he  cried  suddenly. 
"  We  are  going  to  pieces  on  the  rocks !  "  And 
then  he  began  to  speak  of  the  army  and  of  the  ter- 
rible battle  through  which  he  had  gone. 

"  What  can  he  mean  by  saying  the  ship  is 
doomed  ?  "  was  the  question  which  Mrs.  Ruthven 
asked  herself.  "  Can  it  be  that  he  was  once  in  a 
shipwreck  ?  " 

For  a  long  while  after  this  the  colonel  lay  silent. 
Then  he  opened  his  eyes  and  stared  around  wildly. 

"All  drowned,  you  say?"  he  exclaimed. 
"  No !  no !  Laura  must  be  saved !  Save  my 
wife — never  mind  me !  How  high  the  waves  are 
running!  Where  is  the  child?  Captain,  why 
don't  you  put  out  to  sea?  Don't  you  see  the 
rebels?  They  are  luring  us  to  the  coast!  See, 
that  rebel  is  stealing  my  child,  my  darling  Jack! 
Ha !  we  have  struck,  and  I  am  drifting.  Laura, 
where  are  you?  Save  Jack!  Look,  look,  they 
are  retreating !    The  battle  is  won !    Oh,  what  a 


20&  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

storm — can  nothing  be  saved?"  And  then  the 
poor  man  sank  back,  completely  exhausted. 

Mrs.  Ruthven  drank  in  the  spoken  words  like 
one  in  a  dream.  What  was  this  the  wounded 
officer  was  saying?  Something  about  a  storm, 
about  a  wife  Laura,  and  a  child  named  Jack ! 

"  Can  it  be  possible  that  he  is  speaking  of  our 
boy  Jack?  "  she  asked  herself,  and  then  looked  at 
the  colonel's  face  more  closely  than  ever.  The 
resemblance  was  more  than  striking,  it  was  per- 
fect. Give  Jack  that  heavy  mustache  and  those 
wrinkles,  and  the  faces  would  be  exactly  alike. 

"  He  must  be  Jack's  father !  "  she  went  on. 
"  How  wonderful !  But  what  does  this  mean  ? 
Why  did  he  not  claim  Jack  long  ago  ?  " 

For  over  an  hour  she  sat  by  the  colonel's  side, 
but  he  made  no  further  efforts  to  speak.  In  the 
meantime  a  surgeon  came  in  to  attend  to  the 
officer's  wound. 

"  If  you  can  have  him  taken  to  my  house,  I  will 
see  to  it  that  he  has  the  best  of  care,"  said  Mrs. 
Ruthven. 

"  Why,  are  you  not  a  Southern  woman, 
madam  ?  "  questioned  the  surgeon,  in  pardonable 
surprise. 

"  I  am,  but  I  know  Colonel  Stanton,  and  do  not 
wish  to  see  him  suffer  any  more  than  is  neces- 
sary." 


A   REMARKABLE  REVELATION.  209 

"He  is  a  friend?" 

"  Something  of  a  friend,  yes." 

"  And  who  are  you,  if  I  may  ask?  " 

"  I  am  Mrs.  Alice  Ruthven,  owner  of  the  plan- 
tation half  a  mile  from  here.  Dr.  Harry  Powell, 
whom  you  may  know,  is  my  nephew." 

"  I  know  Dr.  Powell  well,  and  if  he  says  it  is 
all  right,  I'll  have  Colonel  Stanton  removed  to 
your  home  without  delay." 

"  When  will  you  see  Dr.  Powell?  " 

"  To-day.  This  is  not  a  nice  place,  and  I 
would  like  to  see  the  colonel  have  better  quarters." 

A  little  later  Mrs.  Ruthven  left  and  drove  home 
with  all  speed. 

"  Marion,  I  have  wonderful  news ! "  she  ex- 
claimed, on  entering  the  room  where  the  girl  sat 
making  bandages  for  the  wounded  soldiers. 

"  What  is  it,  mamma;  is  Jack  found?  " 

"  No,  but  I  am  almost  sure  that  I  have  found 
Jack's  father?" 

"  Oh,  mamma !  Of  course  you  don't  mean  that 
horrid  Dr.  Mackey?" 

"  No,  I  mean  Colonel  Stanton." 

"  Mamma !  "  And  Marion  leaped  up,  scatter- 
ing the  bandages  in  all  directions. 

"  Did  you  ever  notice  how  much  Jack  and  the 
colonel  resembled  each  other  ?  " 

"  I  did." 


2IO  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  The  colonel  is  in  a  fever,  and  while  I  was 
there  he  cried  out  about  a  shipwreck,  and  asked 
that  his  wife  Laura  and  his  son  Jack  be  saved." 

"  Didn't  you  always  think  Jack's  mother  was 
named  Laura  ?  " 

"  I  did — although  I  wasn't  sure." 

"  But  why  didn't  he  come  to  claim  Jack?  " 

"  That's  the  mystery.  I  have  asked  that  the 
colonel  be  brought  here,  and  as  soon  as  he  is  well 
enough  to  stand  being  questioned  I  am  going  to 
learn  the  truth  of  the  matter." 

"  I  hope  he  is  Jack's  father,"  murmured 
Marion.     "  But  if  so,  what  of  Dr.  Mackey  ?  " 

"  That's  another  mystery." 

"  He  must  know  something  of  the  colonel's 
past." 

"Undoubtedly." 

"  I  wonder  if  the  two  ever  met  in  this 
vicinity?  " 

"  There  is  no  telling.  I  am  impatient  to  ques- 
tion the  colonel.  But  of  course  nothing  can  be 
done  until  he  is  better  and  in  his  right  mind." 

That  evening  there  was  the  rattle  of  wagon- 
wheels  on  the  gravel  road  leading  up  to  the  Ruth- 
ven  mansion,  and,  looking  out,  Marion  and  her 
mother  saw  an  ambulance  approaching.  The 
colonel  was  inside,  and  they  hastened  to  prepare 
a  bedroom  for  his  accommodation. 


A   REMARKABLE  REVELATION.  211 

"Is  he  better?"  asked  Mrs.  Ruthven  of  the 
surgeon  in  charge. 

"  A  trifle,"  was  the  answer.  "  What  he  needs 
is  rest  and  quiet.  He  has  a  strong  constitution, 
and  that  is  in  his  favor." 

It  did  not  take  long  to  transfer  Colonel  Stan- 
ton to  the  bedchamber  prepared  for  his  reception, 
and  once  he  was  in  the  house  Mrs.  Ruthven  did  all 
in  her  power  to  make  him  comfortable.  The  ride 
had  somewhat  exhausted  the  officer,  and  he  slept 
heavily  until  far  into  the  next  morning. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

DR.  MACKEY    SHOWS    HIS    HAND. 

"  Well,  what  do  these  fellows  intend  to  do 
with  me,  anyway  ?  " 

It  was  Jack  who  asked  himself  the  question,  as 
he  sat  up,  after  quite  a  long  sleep. 

He  was  a  close  prisoner  in  a  little  cabin  far  up 
the  mountain  side.  His  hands  were  bound  tightly 
behind  him  and  were  made  fast  to  a  heavy  wooden 
stake  driven  into  the  hard  mud  flooring. 

Night  had  come  and  gone,  and  all  of  the  Con- 
federates had  left  him.  Now  it  was  almost  night 
again. 

"  If  they  would  only  give  me  something  to  eat 
and  to  drink,"  he  went  on.  He  was  very  dry,  and 
his  stomach  was  empty. 

Half  an  hour  later  a  footstep  sounded  outside, 
and  Dr.  Mackey  appeared,  carrying  a  knapsack 
filled  with  provisions,  and  a  canteen  of  water. 

"  Sorry  I  had  to  keep  you  waiting,  Jack,"  he 
said,  as  he  set  the  articles  down  and  proceeded  to 
liberate  our  hero.     "  But  I  had  the  whole  affair 


DR.   MACKEY  SHOWS  HIS  HAND.  213 

to  smooth  over,  and  I  had  also  to  get  Gendron 
out  of  the  muss,"  and  he  smiled  grimly. 

"  Dr.  Mackey,  why  do  you  treat  me  in  this 
fashion?"  demanded  Jack. 

"  Because  I  want  you  to  come  to  your  senses 
and  understand  that  I  am  your  father." 

"  Do  you  think  you  are  treating  me  as  a  father 
should?" 

"A  son  who  will  not  obey  must  be  made  to 
obey.  Here,  I  have  brought  you  something  to  eat 
and  to  drink.     Fall  to  and  make  the  most  of  it." 

It  would  have  been  foolish  to  refuse  the  invita- 
tion, and  our  hero  began  to  eat  without  delay. 
The  surgeon  watched  him  curiously. 

"  Jack,  don't  you  think  you  are  acting  the  part 
of  a  fool  ?  "  said  the  man  presently. 

"  No,  I  do  not." 

"  I  offer  you  a  name,  a  good  home,  and  your 
share  of  a  large  fortune,  and  yet  you  turn  your 
back  on  me  and  my  offers." 

"  Have  you  a  large  fortune  coming  to  me?  " 

"  There  is  a  large  fortune  coming  to  both  of 
us.  You  shall  have  your  full  share  of  it — provid- 
ing you  will  do  as  I  wish." 

"  And  what  do  you  wish?  " 

"  Well,  in  the  first  place,  I  wish  you  to  let  the 
world  know  that  you  are  fully  satisfied  that  I  am 
your  father." 


214  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"And  after  that?" 

"  After  that  I  will  resign  my  commission  as  a 
surgeon  in  the  Confederate  army  and  take  the 
necessary  steps  to  claim  the  fortune  which  awaits 
us." 

"  Why  haven't  you  claimed  the  fortune  be- 
fore?" 

"  Because  I  had  to  prove  that  my  wife  had  been 
drowned,  and  had  also  to  prove  that  you  were 
either  alive  or  dead.  Had  you  been  dead,  I  could 
have  taken  the  fortune  for  my  own.  But  you  are 
not  dead,  and  so  I  am  willing  you  shall  have  your 
share." 

"  Where  is  this  fortune?  " 

"  Never  mind  about  that  now.  I  will  give  you 
my  word  that,  if  all  goes  well,  you  shall  have  your 
full  share." 

"  And  how  much  will  that  be?  " 

"  Not  less  than  fifty  or  sixty  thousand  dollars. 
The  whole  fortune  is  worth  over  a  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars." 

It  must  be  confessed  that  our  hero  was  stag- 
gered for  a  moment.  The  sum  was  certainly  a 
large  one — a  good  deal  more  than  the  Ruthven 
plantation  was  worth. 

"  It's  a  lot  of  money,"  he  said,  at  last. 

"  Indeed  it  is,  my  boy.  We  can  be  happy  on 
that  amount  for  the  rest  of  our  lives." 


DR.    MACKEY  SHOWS  HIS  HAND.  215 

"  But  you  haven't  proved  to  me  that  you  are 
my  father,"  went  on  Jack  abruptly. 

The  crafty  face  of  the  surgeon  fell,  and  he  bit 
his  lip. 

"  What  more  proof  do  you  require?  "  he  said 
coldly.  "  Do  you  suppose  I  would  wish  to  divide 
that  fortune  with  a  stranger?" 

"  I  presume  not,  nor  would  I  wish  to  divide  any 
fortune  that  was  coming  to  me  with  a  stranger." 

"  Ha!  what  do  you  mean?  "  gasped  the  medical 
man. 

"  I  mean  just  this :  That  fortune  may  be  com- 
ing to  me,  and  you  may  be  trying  to  gain  posses- 
sion of  it  by  palming  yourself  off  as  my  father." 

The  shot  told,  and  Dr.  Mackey  staggered  back 
and  turned  pale. 

"  Jack,  you  think  you  are  smart,  but  you  don't 
know  what  you  are  saying,"  he  stormed. 

"  Perhaps  I  do,  Dr.  Mackey.  One  thing  I  do 
know — you  are  not  to  be  trusted." 

"What?     This  to  my  face?" 

"  You  took  the  part  of  Gendron,  when  you 
knew  he  was  nothing  but  a  guerrilla  and  a  horse- 
thief." 

"  I  know  nothing  of  the  kind.  Gendron  has  a 
good  record  behind  him.  He  was  shot,  and  that 
may  have  hurt  his  brain." 

"  I  don't  believe  that  fairy  tale.     To  my  mind, 


216  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

you  sided  with  him  because  you  were  afraid  he 
would  expose  you." 

"  Boy,  you  are  growing  more  bold.  Don't  you 
realize  that  you  are  in  my  power?  " 

"Am  I?" 

"  Yes,  you  are — absolutely  in  my  power.  And 
you  have  got  to  do  as  I  wish,  or  you'll  take  the 
consequences." 

As  Dr.  Mackey  spoke,  he  began  to  walk  up  and 
down  the  cabin  nervously. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  my  taking  the  con- 
sequences? " 

"  You'll  find  that  out  later." 

"Would  you  kill  me?" 

"  I  would  make  you  mind  me — as  a  son 
should." 

"  I  would  rather  do  without  the  fortune  than 
have  you  for  a  father,  Dr.  Mackey." 

"  Well,  there  is  no  love  lost  between  us,  when 
it  comes  to  that,  boy." 

"  Then  you  are  willing  to  admit  that  you  care 
more  for  the  fortune  than  you  do  for  me?  " 

"  Why  shouldn't  I — after  the  way  you  have 
acted  toward  me?  No  father  wishes  a  son  who 
hates  him." 

"  I  will  agree  with  you  there,"  answered  Jack 
slowly. 

"  If  you  don't  wish  to  live  with  me,  well  and 


DR.   MACKEY  SHOWS  HIS  HAND.  «i? 

good — after  we  have  our  money.  You  can  take 
your  share  and  I'll  take  mine — and  that  will  be 
the  end  of  it." 

"  And  you  will  let  me  return  to  the  Ruthven 
plantation,  if  I  wish  ?  " 

"  Yes.     But  not  until  everything  is  settled." 
"  And  what  must  I  do  to  help  settle  it?  " 
"  You  must  sign  a  paper  acknowledging  me  as 
your  father,  and  must  bear  witness  to  the  fact  of 
your  being  wrecked  on  this  shore,  and  that  your 
mother  is  dead.     We  will  have  to  get  Old  Ben  for 
another  witness." 
"And  after  that?" 
"  After  that  I  will  take  the  next  step." 
"  You  will  not  tell  me  more  now?  " 
"  No.     I  don't  know  whether  I  can  trust  you 
or  not." 

"  But  why  this  secrecy,  if  everything  is  above- 
board?" 

"  As  I  explained  to  Mrs.  Ruthven,  some  distant 
relatives  hold  the  fortune  now,  and  if  they  learn 
of  what  I  am  doing  they  will  at  once  take  steps  to 
head  my  claim  off.  I  wish  to  spring  a  surprise 
on  them." 

"  But  if  the  claim  is  a  just  one,  and  half  the 
property  is  coming  to  me,  you  do  not  suppose  I  am 
going  to  tell  them  in  advance  of  what  you  intend 
to  do." 


2l8  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Boy,  you  do  not  understand  such  matters-— 
you  are  not  old  enough,"  growled  the  surgeon. 
"  Once  more,  and  for  the  last  time,  will  you  do 
as  I  wish  you  to  ?  " 

"  I  will  not  promise  yet." 

"  Then  you  shall  remain  here,  a  prisoner." 

"  For  how  long?" 

"  Until  you  come  to  your  senses  and  agree  to 
do  as  I  wish." 

A  few  words  more  passed,  and  then  Dr.  Mackey 
made  our  hero  a  prisoner  again,  and  took  up  the 
canteen  and  the  knapsack. 

"  You  may  have  to  remain  alone  for  a  long 
time,"  he  said,  on  departing.  "  But  if  you  get 
lonely  and  hungry,  remember  it  is  your  own 
fault." 

"  I  think  you  are  a  brute !  "  cried  Jack  after 
him.  Then  he  listened  and  heard  the  surgeon's 
footsteps  receding  rapidly.  Soon  all  became 
quiet. 

Hour  after  hour  went  by,  and  nobody  came  near 
our  hero.  It  was  indeed  lonely,  and  as  the  time 
passed  his  heart  sank  within  him. 

Then  Jack  heard  the  faint  patter  of  footsteps 
over  the  dry  leaves  surrounding  the  cabin.  The 
sounds  came  closer. 

"  Perhaps  it's  a  dog,"  he  thought.  "  I  hope 
it  is  one  from  our  plantation,  on  the  hunt  for  me." 


DR.    MACKEY  SHOWS  HIS  HAND.  2ig 

At  last  a  shadow  fell  across  the  open  cabin 
doorway  and  the  figure  of  a  strange  creature  came 
slowly  into  view.  At  the  sight  Jack  could  not 
suppress  a  scream.  The  visitor  was  a  mountain 
wild  cat ! 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 
colonel  stanton's  tale. 

Two  days  after  being  brought  to  the  planta- 
tion Colonel  Stanton's  fever  went  down,  and  the 
surgeon  who  came  to  attend  him  pronounced  the 
officer  much  better. 

"  But  he  must  remain  where  he  is  for  some 
time,"  said  the  medical  man. 

"  He  can  remain  as  long  as  he  pleases,"  de- 
clared Mrs.  Ruthven.  "  I  have  no  wish  to  hurry 
his  departure." 

She  was  anxious  to  learn  the  truth  concerning 
the  colonel's  past,  yet  realized  that  she  must  move 
with  caution,  otherwise  he  might  be  thrown  into 
another  fever. 

"  Colonel  Stanton,"  she  said,  seating  herself  at 
his  side,  "  were  you  ever  in  the  neighborhood  be- 
f ore — I  mean  some  ten  or  eleven  years  ago  ?  " 

At  this  question  Colonel  Stanton  became  imme- 
diately interested,  and  his  wide-open  eyes  showed 
it. 

"  I  do  not  know  if  I  was  in  this  neighborhood," 
he  answered  slowly. 


COLONEL   STANTON'S   TALE.  221 

"  You  do  not  know  ?  Surely  you  must  remem- 
ber where  you  were  at  the  time  I  mention." 

"  The  time  you  speak  about  was  a  very  bitter 
one  to  me,  madam,"  was  his  slow  answer. 

"  And  you  do  not  wish  to  speak  about  it  ?  "  she 
said  softly,  seeing  the  pain  in  his  face. 

"  I  have  spoken  to  nobody  about  it  for  years, 
madam.  Yet  I  would  not  mind  speaking  to  you 
— you  are  so  kind  to  me.  During  the  time  you 
mention  I  took  an  ocean  voyage  which  was  very 
disastrous  to  me  and  mine.  The  ship  went 
down  with  all  on  board,  including  my  wife  and 
child." 

"  Did  the  ship  go  down  on  this  coast?  " 

"  She  struck  somewhere  along  the  coast;  where, 
I  am  not  exactly  sure." 

"  May  I  ask  the  name  of  the  vessel?  " 

"  She  was  the  Nautilus." 

Mrs.  Ruthven's  breast  began  to  heave.  "  It 
must  be  true !  "  she  murmured. 

"  What  must  be  true,  madam  ?  " 

"  The  Nautilus  was  wrecked  on  our  coast  here, 
not  over  half  a  mile  from  this  plantation." 

"  You  are  sure  of  this  ?  " 

"  I  am.  The  wreck  is  still  on  the  rocks  in  the 
bay." 

"  And  were  you  living  here  at  the  time?  " 

"  I  was,  and  I  know  all  about  the  wreck,  and 


222  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

so  does  Old  Ben,  the  negro  who  has  the  boathouse 
on  the  shore." 

The  wounded  officer's  interest  increased. 

"  I  would  like  to  visit  that  wreck  some  time,  if 
it  is  still  intact,"  he  said.  "  I  left  some  valuable 
papers  in  a  secret  closet.  It  is  possible  they  are 
still  on  board." 

"  Do  you  know  who  was  saved  from  the 
wreck?  " 

"  Saved?     No  one  was  saved." 

"  You  are  mistaken — a  lady  and  her  child  were 
saved.  The  lady  died  two  days  later,  but  the 
child  still  lives." 

"  What  was  the  name  of  that  lady?  Tell  me, 
quick?"  gasped  the  officer,  and  tried  to  sit  up, 
but  fell  back  through  weakness. 

"  Do  not  excite  yourself,  Colonel  Stanton,  I 
beg  of  you !  "  pleaded  Mrs.  Ruthven,  in  alarm, 
fearful  of  the  patient's  agitation. 

"  But  tell  me  the  name  of  that  lady — and  wsa 
the  child  a  boy?  " 

"  I  do  not  know  the  name  of  the  lady,  for  she 
was  badly  hurt  and  could  not  give  it.  The  boy's 
name  was  Jack." 

"  Jack !  My  child's  name  was  Jack.  And  you 
say  he  still  lives?  " 

"  He  does.  The  child  is  our  Jack,  for  my  hus- 
band and  I  adopted  him." 


COLONEL    STANTON'S    TALE.  223 

"  Your  Jack?  That  fine,  manly  fellow?  Oh, 
Mrs.  Ruthven,  send  him  to  me  at  once!  " 

"  I  cannot  do  that  just  now,  Colonel  Stanton." 

"  If  only  we  can  prove  he  is  my  son !  Have 
you  nothing  belonging  to  the  lady  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  have  her  clothing,  also  the  little  boy's, 
and  some  jewelry." 

"  Bring  them  to  me,"  and  now  the  colonel  sank 
back,  too  weak  to  say  more. 

As  much  agitated  as  her  patient,  Mrs.  Ruthven 
hurried  from  the  room,  and  presently  returned 
with  the  clothing,  the  lace  handkerchief,  and  the 
wedding  ring. 

"  They  were  my  darling  Laura's !  "  murmured 
Colonel  Stanton,  as  he  gazed  at  the  things. 
"  And  this  was  little  Jack's  dress.  Mrs.  Ruth- 
ven, beyond  a  doubt  Jack  is  my  son !  " 

"  I  suspected  as  much  two  days  ago,  Colonel 
Stanton.  When  you  had  a  fever  you  spoke  of  a 
shipwreck  and  of  the  loss  of  your  wife  and  son 
Jack.  Yes,  Jack  must  be  your  son.  But  how 
were  you  saved  ?  " 

"  It  is  a  strange  tale,  madam.  As  you  know, 
my  wife  and  my  son  were  washed  ashore.  I 
thought  them  drowned.  Hours  after  I  found 
myself,  I  scarcely  know  how,  clinging  to  a  spar, 
tossing  up  and  down  on  the  dreary  waste  of 
waters,  far  out  to  sea." 


224  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  And  you  were  picked  up?  " 

"  Not  for  twenty-four  hours  or  more.  Then 
those  on  a  passing  ship  espied  me,  and  sent  out  a 
small  boat  to  my  rescue.  I  can  remember  how 
they  hauled  me  in,  and  how  I  shrieked  with  joy, 
and  then  fell  to  the  deck  unconscious." 

"  The  exposure  was  too  much  for  you." 

"  Yes,  and  it  not  only  affected  my  body,  but 
likewise  my  mind,  for  it  is  only  in  a  dim,  uncer- 
tain way  that  I  remember  being  taken  on  a  voyage 
of  several  weeks'  duration,  and  then  finding  my- 
self in  a  strange-looking  hospital.  There  I  re- 
mained for  two  months,  and  was  then  transferred 
to  an  insane  asylum." 

"  An  insane  asylum !  Colonel  Stanton,  how 
you  must  have  suffered!"  cried  Mrs.  Ruthven 
sympathetically. 

"  That  was  not  the  worst  of  it,  madam.  At 
the  asylum  I  was  treated  most  brutally  by  a  good- 
for-nothing  physician,  who  did  his  best  to  pry 
into  my  family  affairs." 

"  And  who  was  that  physician,  Colonel  Stan- 
ton? Excuse  my  curiosity,  but  I  have  a  strong 
motive  for  wanting  to  know." 

"  He  was  a  tall,  wicked-looking  fellow,  who 
went  by  the  name  of  Mackenzie,  although  I  have 
since  learned  that  his  real  name  is  Mackwell  or 
Mackey." 


COLONEL  STANTON'S  TALE.  22$ 

"  Dr.  Mackey !     He  has  been  here." 

"Here?" 

"  Exactly,  and  he  claims  Jack  as  his  son !  " 

"  The  vile  impostor !  "  cried  the  wounded  offi- 
cer wrathfully.  "  He  is  a  villain  to  his  very 
finger  tips.  It  is  to  him  that  I  owe  my  long  term 
in  the  insane  asylum.     Where  is  he  now  ?  " 

"  That  I  cannot  tell  you.  I  refused  to  give 
Jack  up,  for  I  did  not  like  the  looks  of  the  man, 
and  moreover  Jack  did  not  wish  to  go  with  him. 
I  told  him  he  would  have  to  prove  his  claim  at 
court." 

"  That  was  right.  If  I  can  get  my  hands  on 
him,  I  will  either  shoot  him  or  place  him  behind 
the  bars." 

"  He  certainly  deserves  arrest  for  plotting  to 
take  Jack." 

"  I  presume  he  is  scheming  to  obtain  the  prop- 
erty which  is  rightfully  mine.  During  my  lucid 
intervals  at  the  asylum  he  got  me  to  tell  him  my 
story.  There  was  property  in  England  coming 
to  me,  and  also  an  estate  in  Virginia  coming  to 
my  wife.  The  trip  on  the  ocean  was  taken  to 
obtain  the  property  coming  to  Laura.  He  drew 
from  me  all  the  details  he  could,  and  then  drugged 
me,  so  that  for  a  long  time  I  knew  scarcely  any- 
thing of  what  happened.  When  I  regained  my 
own  mind,  I  learned  that  he  had  left  the  asylum 


226  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

several  weeks  before,  and  departed  for  parts  un- 
known." 

"  And  were  you  kept  at  the  asylum?  " 

"  I  was,  for  years,  for  this  rascal  had  put  me 
on  the  books  as  being  incurable,  and  subject  to  at- 
tacks of  great  violence." 

"Of  course  he  did  this  to  obtain  possession  of 
the  property." 

"  Undoubtedly." 

"  It  is  strange  he  did  not  put  in  an  appearance 
before." 

"  You  must  remember  he  knew  no  more  than  I 
about  the  exact  fate  of  the  Nautilus.  How  he 
found  out  the  vessel  was  wrecked  here  I  do  not 
know." 

"  He  has  paid  the  wreck  a  visit — Old  Ben 
rowed  him  over  to  it ! "  cried  Mrs.  Ruthven, 
struck  with  a  sudden  idea. 

"  Did  he  bring  anything  away  with  him?  " 

"  Old  Ben  thought  he  brought  with  him  a  tin 
box." 

"  It  must  have  been  my  box — the  one  I  placed 
in  the  secret  closet!  I  must  get  it  away  from 
him.  But  tell  me  of  Jack.  When  will  he  be 
back?" 

"  I — I  cannot  say,  Colonel  Stanton." 

"  Did  you  send  him  away  on  an  errand?  n 

"I— I  did  not." 


COLONEL   STANTON'S   TALE.  *3J 

"  But  he  is  not  here.  Tell  me,  is  he — is  he 
missing — shot?  " 

"  He  is  missing,  yes.  I  do  not  believe  he  has 
been  shot." 

"  It  must  be  more  of  Dr.  Mackey's  work,"  mut- 
tered the  wounded  officer,  and  then  sank  down. 
The  conversation  had  exhausted  him  utterly,  and 
it  was  a  long  while  before  he  spoke  again. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

IN    THE    HANDS    OF    THE    GUERRILLAS. 

Our  hero  knew  only  too  well  how  dangerous  a 
wild  cat  can  be,  and  as  he  gazed  at  the  beast  look- 
ing in  through  the  open  doorway  of  the  lonely 
cabin  his  heart  was  filled  with  dread. 

"  A  wild  cat ! "  he  muttered.  "  Scat !  go 
away !  "  he  yelled. 

The  sudden  cry  caused  the  beast  to  retreat  a 
few  steps,  and  for  the  instant  Jack  breathed 
easier.  But  then  the  beast  approached  once 
more. 

"  Go  away !  scat ! "  he  repeated,  but  now  the 
wild  cat  stood  its  ground,  its  eyes  gleaming 
fiercely  and  its  mouth  half  open,  showing  its  sharp 
teeth.  It  was  tremendously  hungry,  and  this  had 
caused  it  to  find  its  way  to  the  habitation. 

"  Go  away,  I  say,"  repeated  Jack,  and  then,  as 
the  wild  cat  took  a  noiseless  step  forward,  he  let 
out  a  scream :  "  Help !  Help !  " 

The  wild  cat  now  prepared  to  leap  upon  him. 
It  crouched  low,  shaking  its  short  tail  from  side 


IN   THE  HANDS  OF   THE   GUERRILLAS.     229 

to  side.  The  leap  was  about  to  be  taken  when,  of 
a  sudden,  bang !  went  a  gun,  and  the  beast  rolled 
over  on  its  side. 

"  A  good  shot,  Ben !  "  came  in  the  voice  of 
Columbus  Washington.  "  I  rackon  ye  killed 
him." 

"  Ben !  "  cried  Jack,  in  great  joy,  as  the  face  of 
the  faithful  old  negro  showed  itself  at  the  door- 
way.    "  You  came  in  the  nick  of  time !  " 

"  Dat's  so,"  answered  Old  Ben,  as  he  came  for- 
ward and  poked  the  wild  cat  with  his  gun  barrel. 
"  Dead,  are  ye?  Well,  Old  Ben  will  make  suah," 
and  he  hit  the  wild  cat's  skull  a  blow  that  crushed 
it  completely. 

"  Ben,  you  saved  my  life,"  went  on  Jack  joy- 
fully. "  I  was  certain  I  was  going  to  be  chewed 
up." 

"  Wot  fo'  is  yo'  a  prisoner  yeah  ?  "  asked  Co- 
lumbus Washington,  as  he  gazed  at  Jack's  bonds 
curiously. 

"  Dr.  Mackey  made  me  a  prisoner." 

"  What,  dat  man !  "  ejaculated  Old  Ben. 

"  Yes,  Ben;  he  had  me  taken  from  the  stable, 
where  I  had  gone  to  watch  that  guerrilla." 

"  And  where  am  de  guerrilla?  " 

"  Dr.  Mackey  helped  him  to  escape." 

The  faithful  old  colored  man  shook  his  head 
doubtfully. 


*3°  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Massah  Jack,  do  yo'  dun  t'ink  dat  doctor  am 
your  fadder  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  No,  Ben;  I  think  nothing  of  the  kind." 

"  Neider  do  I.     He  is  a-plottin'  against  yo'." 

"That  is  what  I  think,  Ben.  If  I  could 
manage  it,  I  would  have  him  arrested.  Then  we 
could  get  at  the  bottom  of  this  affair." 

Jack  was  speedily  released,  and  the  party  of 
three  left  the.  lonely  mountain  cabin  and  started 
across  the  country  for  the  Ruthven  plantation. 

"  Yo'  mudder  will  be  tickled  to  see  yo',"  re- 
marked Old  Ben,  as  they  trudged  along.  "  She 
was  worried  to  death  ober  yo'  absence." 

"  After  this  I  will  see  to  it  that  they  don't  get 
me  again,"  replied  our  hero. 

Half  a  mile  was  covered  when,  on  turning  a 
point  in  the  trail,  they  came  unexpectedly  upon  a 
company  of  Confederate  guerrillas  who  were  tak- 
ing it  easy,  lying  in  the  grass. 

"  Hullo !  who  are  you  ? "  demanded  one  of 
the  guerrillas  as  he  leaped  up  and  drew  up  his 
gun. 

"  Friends !  "  answered  Jack. 

Just  then  he  caught  sight  of  the  men  who  had 
marched  him  away  from  the  stable,  and  also 
of  Pete  Gendroh,  who  was  lying  on  some  blankets 
in  the  shade. 

"  Friends,  are  you !  "  cried  one  of  the  men  who 


IN   THE  HANDS  OF   THE   GUERRILLAS.      23 1 

had  marched  him  off.  "  Up  with  your  hands, 
sonny !  " 

There  was  no  help  for  it,  and  Jack  put  up  his 
hands,  and  his  negro  companions  did  likewise. 

"  I  reckon  as  how  we  cotched  ye  nicely,"  went 
on  the  man  with  the  gun.  "  Whar  did  ye  come 
from — thet  cabin  up  the  mountain  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"Whar  is  Dr.  Mackey?" 

"  I  do  not  know." 

"Did  he  let  ye  go?" 

"  Of  course  he  didn't  let  the  boy  go,"  growled 
Pete  Gendron.  "  The  niggers  must  have  released 
him." 

"  Is  that  true,  sonny  ?  " 

"  That  is  none  of  your  business,"  answered 
Jack,  not  knowing  what  else  to  say. 

"  Aint  it,  though?  All  right,  ride  yer  high 
hoss,  if  yer  want  to.  But  throw  down  them  arms 
fust." 

"  What  do  you  mean?  " 

"  I  mean  all  of  yer  are  prisoners,  thet's  wot  I 
mean,"  drawled  the  guerrilla. 

"  You  have  no  right  to  hold  me  up  in  this 
fashion." 

"  Ye  forgit,  sonny,  thet  might  makes  right  in 
most  cases.     Come,  hand  over  them  firearms." 

Jack  had  been  provided  with  a  pistol  by  Old 


232  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

Ben,  and  this  he  was  compelled  to  surrender,  and 
his  companions  were  also  disarmed.  The  guer- 
rillas numbered  fully  a  score,  so  resistance  would 
have  been  foolhardy. 

"  What  do  you  intend  to  do  with  me?  "  asked 
our  hero,  after  he  had  been  made  a  prisoner  by 
having  his  hands  bound  behind  him. 

"  We'll  hold  ye  till  Dr.  Mackey  comes  back." 

"When  will  that  be?" 

"  Can't  say." 

This  ended  the  talk,  and  presently  the  guerrillas 
moved  up  the  mountain  side  to  where  there  was  a 
fair-sized  cave. 

They  marched  our  hero  into  this  cave,  and  tied 
him  and  his  companions  fast  to  some  jagged  rocks 
in  the  rear. 

A  fire  was  started  up  and  the  outlaws — for  the 
guerrillas  were  nothing  less — proceeded  to  make 
themselves  comfortable  by  lying  around,  drinking, 
smoking,  and  playing  cards. 

Gendron  was  not  badly  wounded,  and  sat  up  to 
look  on  at  the  card-playing. 

So  the  hours  wore  away.  Toward  night  a 
scout  went  out  to  learn  what  the  armies  were 
doing,  and  he  did  not  come  back  until  the  next 
day. 

Two  days  were  spent  by  Jack  and  his  com- 
panions in  the  cave.     During  that  time  the  guer- 


IN   THE  HANDS  OF   THE  GUERRILLAS.      233 

rillas  treated  them  brutally,  and  gave  them  hardly 
sufficient  food  to  keep  them  from  starving. 

Gendron  was  particularly  bitter  against  Jack, 
and  insulted  our  hero  upon  every  possible  occa- 
sion. 

"  If  I  was  the  doctor  I'd  blow  your  head 
off,  and  get  that  money  for  myself,"  he  said 
once. 

"  What  do  you  know  about  that  money?  "  de- 
manded Jack. 

At  this  the  guerrilla  closed  one  eye  sug- 
gestively. 

"  I  know  a  whole  lot,  sonny." 

"  Then  you  know  what  a  rascal  Dr.  Mackey 
is? 

"  I  didn't  allow  as  how  he  is  a  rascal,  sonny." 

"  Well,  he  is,  and  you  know  it.  I  can't  see 
how  he  puts  up  with  a  fellow  like  you,  though." 

This  was  said  to  draw  Gendron  on,  and  it  had 
the  desired  effect. 

"  He  can't  help  himself,"  chuckled  the  guer- 
rilla.    "  I  know  too  much." 

"  What  do  you  know." 

"  I  know  all  about  the  doctor's  private  papers— 
the  ones  he  carries  in  the  tin  box." 

"  The  papers  about  the  property  ?  " 

"  O'  course." 

"  Those  papers  won't  help  him  any,"  went  on 


234  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

Jack,  wondering  what  the  guerrilla  would  say 
next. 

"Won't  they?     They'll  prove  that  he  is • 

But  never  mind — you  shan't  git  nothin'  out  o' 
me,"  and  then  Gendron  relapsed  into  sudden 
silence,  as  though  he  realized  that  he  had  been 
talking  too  much. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day  Dr.  Mackey 
appeared,  accompanied  by  another  man,  evidently 
an  officer  of  the  guerrillas.  His  face  grew  dark 
as  he  gazed  first  at  Jack  and  then  at  Old  Ben  and 
Columbus  Washington. 

"  So  you  were  going  to  help  Jack  to  escape," 
he  said  harshly  to  the  negroes. 

"  Jack  is  my  young  mastah,"  replied  Old  Ben. 
"  Why  shouldn't  I  try  to  sabe  him  ?  " 

"  You  are  the  fellow  who  saved  Jack  years  ago, 
when  the  shipwreck  occurred,  I  believe." 

"  I  am,  sah." 

"  Then  I  am  glad  I  have  you  in  my  power,"  an- 
swered Dr.  Mackey.  "  You  may  prove  useful 
to  me." 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

THE    ESCAPE    FROM    THE    CAVE. 

Dr.  Mackey  turned  away  to  consult  with  the 
guerrillas,  and  Jack  and  his  companions  were  left 
to  themselves  for  the  best  part  of  half  an  hour. 

The  surgeon  was  evidently  much  disturbed  over 
something,  and  Jack  caught  the  words,  "  must 
leave  the  country,"  and  "  I  will  send  the  money," 
spoken  to  the  guerrilla  captain. 

"  Can  it  be  possible  that  he  intends  to  leave  the 
States  ?  "  mused  our  hero.  "  Well,  we  can  easily 
get  along  without  him.  But  I  would  like  to  know 
more  of  that  fortune." 

At  length  Dr.  Mackey  came  to  him  and  sat 
down  by  his  side. 

"  So  you  thought  to  escape  me,  did  you  ?  "  he 
began. 

"  Do  you  blame  me?  "  questioned  our  hero,  as 
coolly  as  he  could. 

"  Not  exactly.  But  I  want  to  warn  you  that 
it  won't  pay  to  try  to  escape  again.  I  have  given 
the  soldiers  orders  to  shoot  you  down,  if  you  at- 
tempt it" 

83S 


236  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK, 

•  "  In  that  case  they  must  be  outlaws,  not  sol- 
diers, Dr.  Mackey." 

"  They  know  how  to  obey  orders." 

"  Again  I  demand  to  know  what  you  are  going 
to  do  with  me." 

"  If  you  wish  to  know  so  much,  I  will  tell  you. 
I  am  going  to  take  you  out  of  the  country." 

"To  where?" 

"  That  you  will  learn  after  we  are  on  ship- 
board." 

"  Then  you  intend  to  take  me  away  from 
America?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Are  you  going  to  take  me  to  Europe?  " 

"  As  I  said  before,  you'll  learn  your  destina- 
tion when  you  are  on  shipboard." 

"  Supposing  I  won't  go  with  you?  " 

"  If  you  won't  go  peaceably,  I'll  have  to  use 
force,  that's  all." 

"  You  mean  you'll  drug  me,  or  something  like 
that?" 

"  Never  mind  the  details.  You'll  go  with  me, 
and  that  ends  it.  Moreover,  you'll  do  just  as 
I  want  you  to." 

"  When  do  you  intend  to  take  me  away?  " 

"  That  will  depend  upon  circumstances.  Prob- 
ably to-morrow  night,  or  the  next  day." 

"  What  of  my  companions?  " 


THE  ESCAPE  FROM   THE   CAVE.  *3? 

"  Old  Ben  shall  go  with  us." 

"And  Columbus?" 

"  Is  that  the  nigger's  name?  " 

"  Yes,  Columbus  Washington." 

"  The  guerrillas  will  take  care  of  him." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  they  will  shoot  him  ?  " 

"  What  if  they  do  ?  Niggers  don't  count  in 
this  world." 

"  I  think  you  are  a  monster,  Dr.  Mackey !  " 
exclaimed  our  hero,  in  horror.  "  To  kill  a  negro 
is  as  much  murder  as  to  kill  anyone  else." 

"  I  won't  discuss  the  subject.  The  question  is, 
will  you  go  along  peacefully  with  me?  " 

"  I  will  not.  You  have  no  right  to  abduct  me 
in  this  fashion." 

"  I  have  a  right  to  do  as  I  please  with  my  own 
son." 

"Again  I  say  I  am  not  your  son.  Do  you 
know  what  I  think  ?  I  think  you  are  nothing  but 
a  swindler — a  rascal  who  wishes  to  use  me  as  a 
tool,  in  order  to  get  hold  of  some  fortune  coming 
to  me  or  to  somebody  else." 

Dr.  Mackey  glared  at  Jack  for  a  moment,  then 
leaped  forward  and  struck  our  hero  a  cruel  blow 
in  the  face. 

"That  for  your  impudence!"  he  cried 
wrathfully.  "  After  this,  keep  a  civil  tongue  in 
your  head." 


338  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

The  blow  made  Jack's  blood  boil,  but  he  was 
helpless  to  resent  it.  "  You  are  a  coward,  to  hit 
me  when  I  am  tied  like  this,"  he  said.  "  But 
some  day,  Dr.  Mackey,  I  may  be  able  to  square 
accounts,  and  then  you  had  better  beware." 

One  of  the  guerrillas  now  came  forward  to  con- 
sult with  the  surgeon,  and  Jack  was  left  with  the 
other  prisoners,  to  meditate  over  what  had  been 
said  and  done. 

"  He's  de  wust  rascal  wot  I  eber  seen,"  whis- 
pered Old  Ben  sympathetically.  "  Wot  a  pity  he 
wasn't  shot  down  in  de  fust  battle  wot  he  eber  got 
into!" 

"  He  wants  to  take  us  both  out  of  the  country, 
Ben." 

"  Wot,  away  from  ole  South  Carolina?  " 

"  Yes — on  a  trip  on  the  ocean." 

"  I  don't  want  to  go,  Massah  Jack." 

"  No  more  do  I;  but  how  can  we  help  our- 
selves? " 

"  I  wish  dis  niggah  could  git  free,  Massah 
Jack." 

"  We  must  try  our  best  to  escape  to-night.  If 
we  don't  do  it  to-night,  I  reckon  our  last  chance 
will  be  gone." 

"  Ise  willin'  ter  do  all  I  kin,"  answered  Old 
Ben,  and  the  other  negro  said  the  same. 

With  the  setting  of  the  sun  over  the  mountains 


THE  ESCAPE  FROM   THE   CAVE.  239 

a  strong  breeze  sprang  up,  and  presently  the  sky 
was  obscured  by  heavy  clouds.  Dr.  Mackey 
had  gone  off  half  an  hour  before. 

"  We're  in  fer  a  heavy  storm,"  Jack  heard  one 
of  the  guerrillas  say.  "  It's  a  good  thing  we  can 
crawl  into  the  cave  when  it  comes." 

"If  they  come  in  here  our  chances  of  escape 
will  be  slim,"  thought  our  hero. 

The  approaching  storm  made  it  very  dark  in 
the  cave,  and  during  this  time  he  worked  with 
energy  at  his  bonds. 

At  last  he  was  free,  and  without  making  any 
noise  he  rolled  over  and  released  Old  Ben  and  Co- 
lumbus Washington. 

Suddenly  there  was  a  shout  from  outside. 

A  guerrilla  on  guard  had  discovered  a  man  on 
the  trail,  with  two  horses  loaded  with  store  goods. 

"  Here's  a  chance  fer  a  haul !  "  was  the  cry. 

The  guerrillas  ran  outside,  and  soon  the  ma- 
jority of  them  were  making  after  the  traveler. 

Only  two  were  left  on  guard,  and  one  of  these 
was  more  than  half  overcome  by  the  liquor  he  had 
imbibed. 

"  Now  is  our  chance !  "  whispered  Jack,  as  he 
tiptoed  his  way  to  the  cave  entrance.  "  Ben,  you 
and  I  will  pounce  upon  that  man  with  the  gun. 
Columbus,  you  silence  the  fellow  sitting  on  the 
rock.     We  must  not  let  them  cry  for  aid." 


24©  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

The  negroes  understood  the  plan,  and  in  a  mo- 
ment more  the  party  of  three  were  upon  the  guer- 
rillas. While  Jack  seized  the  gun  of  the  one,  Old 
Ben  caught  him  from  behind  and  placed  a  large 
hand  over  his  mouth. 

"  Silence,  on  your  life!  "  said  Jack,  and  leveled 
the  gun  at  the  rascal's  head.  The  man  under- 
stood and,  when  allowed  to  breathe,  said  not  a 
word. 

To  capture  the  half  tipsy  sentinel  was  likewise 
easy,  and  after  both  were  disarmed  they  were 
ordered  to  enter  the  cave. 

"If  you  make  the  least  outcry  we'll  come  back 
and  shoot  you,"  said  Jack. 

Then  he  motioned  to  the  two  negroes,  and  all 
three  set  off  oh  a  run  down  the  mountain  side. 
They  heard  a  rifle  shot  to  the  right,  and  conse- 
quently moved  to  the  left. 

The  storm  now  burst  over  the  mountains  in  all 
of  its  fury,  with  vivid  flashes  of  lightning  and 
sharp  cracks  of  thunder.  As  they  proceeded  they 
heard  the  distant  falling  of  one  tree  or  another, 
as  the  giants  of  the  forest  were  laid  low  by  the 
elements. 

"  I  dun  rackon  da  won't  follow  us  in  dis  yeah 
storm,"  remarked  Old  Ben,  as  they  stopped  after 
a  while,  to  catch  their  breath.  "  Da  will  be  fo' 
gittin'  back  to  de  cabe  an'  stayin'  dar." 


THE  ESCAPE  FROM   THE   CAVE.  24 1 

"  I  hope  that  traveler  escaped  them,"  answered 
Jack.     "  But  those  gun-shots  sounded  dubious." 

"De  gorillas  ought  all  to  be  hung!"  came 
from  Columbus  Washington.  "  Da  aint  no 
sodgers,  no  matter  if  da  do  -w'ar  a  uniform/" 

"  They  are  outlaws,  pure  and  simple,"  answered 
Jack.  "  But  come,  we  must  go  on.  Ben,  how 
far  are  we  from  home,  do  you  calculate?  " 

"  Six  or  seben  miles,  Massah  Jack." 

"  Then  we  have  a  good,  stiff  walk  before  us." 

"  Do  yo'  t'ink  yo'  can  walk  dat  far,  Massah 
Jack,  in  dis  awful  storm?  " 

"  I  can,  unless  the  rain  sets  in  harder.  I  am 
anxious  to  get  back,  you  know." 

"  I  don't  blame  yo'  fo'  dat,  Massah  Jack.  De 
folks  will  be  mighty  glad  to  see  yo',  too,"  an- 
swered Old  Ben. 

On  they  went  through  the  darkness,  Old  Ben 
following  the  trail  with  the  keenness  of  a  sleuth- 
hound.  But  it  was  far  from  a  pleasant  journey, 
as  Jack  soon  discovered,  as  he  stumbled  along 
over  dirt  and  rocks  and  through  the  dripping 
busies.  He  was  soaked  to  the  skin,  and  the  raw- 
ness of  the  air  caused  him  to  shiver. 

The  downpour  was  now  extra  heavy,  and  they 
had  to  come  to  a  halt  under  some  trees,  in  order  to 
get  their  breath  again.  The  wind  was  blowing 
strongly  and  it  was  directly  in  their  faces. 


242  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  How  many  miles  have  we  made,  Ben?  "  asked 
Jack. 

"  Not  more  dan  t'ree,  Massah  Jack?  " 

"  Then  we  have  nearly  four  still  to  cover." 

"  Yes,  Massah  Jack,  an'  wery  hard  roads,  too, 
ober  Hallack's  hill." 

"  If  there  was  a  cabin  handy,  I  would  go  in  for 
a  rest  of  an  hour  or  two.     The  storm  may  let  up." 

"  Da  is  a  cabin  down  de  trail,  on  de  bend." 

"  Then  let  us  stop  there." 

So  it  was  arranged,  and  soon  they  gained  the 
cabin,  which  was  deserted,  the  owner  having 
joined  the  soldiers  a  year  before,  and  his  wife  and 
children  being  with  some  relatives  in  the  town. 

It  was  easy  to  get  into  the  cabin,  and  once  inside 
they  started  to  make  themselves  as  comfortable 
as  possible. 

But  they  had  not  been  in  the  place  over  half  an 
hour  when  voices  outside  filled  them  with  fresh 
alarm. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

BROUGHT   TO    BAY. 

"  Somebody  is  coming !  "  whispered  Jack  ex- 
citedly.    "  I  wonder  if  it  is  the  guerrillas?  " 

"  If  da  come,  de  jig  am  up !  "  groaned  Old  Ben. 

"  Let  us  hide  upstairs,"  returned  our  hero. 
"Quick!" 

There  was  no  time  to  say  more,  and  all  three 
ran  for  the  ladder  leading  to  the  loft  of  the  cabin, 
which  was  but  a  story  and  a  half  high.  Jack  was 
the  first  up,  and  the  negroes  quickly  followed,  and 
then  all  lay  low  on  the  flooring,  hardly  daring  to 
breathe. 

In  a  moment  more  two  men  entered  the  cabin, 
shaking  the  water  from  their  rubber  cloaks  as 
they  did  so.  The  two  men  were  Dr.  Mackey  and 
St.  John  Ruthven. 

"  What  a  beastly  night !  "  exclaimed  St.  John 
with  a  shiver.  "  When  I  left  home  to  meet  you  I 
never  expected  such  a  storm  as  this.  If  I  had,  I 
shouldn't  have  come." 

"  I  didn't  look  for  such  a  rain  myself,"  returned 
243 


244  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

Dr.  Mackey,  throwing  off  his  cloak.  "  Anybody 
around? " 

"  Don't  seem  to  be,  although  there  are  muddy 
footprints  on  the  floor." 

The  two  gazed  around,  but  Jack  and  his  com- 
panions were  wise  enough  to  keep  out  of  sight, 
and  apparently  satisfied  that  the  cabin  was  de- 
serted, Dr.  Mackey  flung  himself  on  a  bench  and 
St.  John  did  likewise. 

"  You  said  you  wished  to  see  me  on  important 
business,"  observed  the  spendthrift. 

"  I  do,"  was  the  reply.  "  I  wish  to  help  both 
you  and  myself." 

"  In  what  way." 

"  In  several  ways,  Mr.  Ruthven.  In  the  first 
place,  you  are  aware  that  I  claim  Jack  as  my  son." 

"  I  know  that." 

"  I  am  very  anxious  to  establish  my  claim  to 
the  boy." 

"  I  don't  see  how  I  can  help  you,  Dr.  Mackey, 
although  I  am  glad  enough  to  have  you  claim 
Jack." 

"  You  ought  to  help  me,  for  it  will  be  helping 
yourself  as  well.  Your  aunt  thinks  a  great  deal 
of  Jack.  If  he  is  allowed  to  remain  at  the  planta- 
tion she  may  take  it  into  her  head  to  leave  him 
half  of  her  property." 

"  I  know  that,  too." 


BROUGHT  TO  BAY.  245 

"  The  property  ought  to  go  to  that  girl  and  to 
you.  With  Jack  out  of  the  way  you  will  be 
pretty  certain  of  your  share." 

"  But  I  don't  understand  your  game,  Dr. 
Mackey.  Why  do  you  want  Jack,  if  he  doesn't 
care  for  you?  " 

"  I  love  the  boy,  in  spite  of  his  actions.  Be- 
sides, he  must  come  with  me  in  order  that  I  may 
establish  our  joint  right  to  a  fortune  which  awaits 
us." 

"  Well,  what  do  you  want  me  to  do  ?  "  ques- 
tioned St.  John,  after  a  pause,  during  which  Jack 
waited  with  bated  breath  for  what  might  follow. 

"  Jack  was  picked  up  from  a  shipwreck  nearly 
eleven  years  ago.  He  and  his  mother  were  taken 
to  your  aunt's  home,  and  it  was  from  this  home 
that  Jack's  mother,  my  wife,  was  buried." 

"Well?" 

"  I  am  quite  certain  that  your  aunt  is  keeping 
all  of  the  things  which  were  taken  from  my  wife's 
person  at  the  time  of  her  death,  and  also  the 
clothing  Jack  wore  when  he  was  rescued.  I  wish 
to  obtain  possession  of  those  things,  or,  failing 
that,  I  want  to  get  a  minute  description  of  them." 

"  Do  you  want  me  to  get  the  things  for  you  ?  " 

"  If  you  can." 

"  But  my  aunt  may  object  to  giving  them  up." 

At  this  the  face  of  Dr.  Mackey  fell. 


246  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  I'm  afraid  you  don't  quite  understand  me, 
Mr.  Ruthven.  I  don't  want  your  aunt  to  know 
anything  about  it." 

"  Oh ! "  St.  John's  face  became  a  study. 
"  You — er — you  wish  me  to  get  the  things  on  the 
sly?" 

"  Yes.  You  must  remember  they  belong  to  me. 
But  if  you  tell  Mrs.  Ruthven  she  will  be  sure  to 
raise  a  big  fuss,  and  that  is  what  I  wish  to  avoid." 

"  I  don't  see  how  I  can  get  the  things  ?  " 

"  Can't  you  get  your  aunt  or  your  cousin  to 
show  them  to  you?  Then  you  can  watch  where 
they  are  put,  and  the  rest  ought  to  be  easy." 

"  I'm  afraid  my  aunt  is  very  careful  of  the 
things.  I  have  heard  her  say  as  much,  to  my 
cousin  Marion." 

"  Well,  you  ought  to  take  a  little  risk.  Re- 
member, it  is  to  your  interest  to  help  me  in  estab- 
lishing my  claim  to  Jack." 

"  I'll  do  what  I  can,"  replied  St.  John,  after  a 
moment's  consideration. 

"  I  would  like  to  get  the  things  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible." 

"  I'll  go  over  to  my  aunt's  plantation  the  first 
thing  in  the  morning.  But  she  may  not  want  to 
listen  to  me  just  now.  She  is  extra  busy,  you 
know." 

"  With  those  wounded  Confederate  soldiers  ? " 


BROUGHT  TO  BAY.  247 

"  Not  only  with  those,  but  she  also  has  a 
Federal  officer  there — brought  in  a  few  days 
ago." 

"A  Federal  officer?  Does  she  sympathize  witb 
the  North?" 

"  She  does  to  some  extent." 

"Who  is  the  fellow?" 

"  A  Colonel  Stanton." 

At  the  mention  of  that  name  Dr.  Mackey  leaped 
up  in  alarm. 

"  What !  that  man — in  her  house !  "  he  gasped. 

"  Do  you  know  Colonel  Stanton  ?  " 

"  I — that  is — I  know  of  him.  Is  he  badly 
wounded  ?  " 

"  I  think  he  is." 

"  I  hope  he  dies  then.  He  is — a — a— very  bad 
customer  to  meet." 

"  I  can't  understand  why  my  aunt  makes  so 
much  of  him." 

"  Tell  me,  has  this  Colonel  Stanton  met  Jack  ?  " 

"  Yes,  they  met  some  time  ago,  when  the 
Yankees  first  came  to  this  neighborhood." 

"  Ah !  "  Dr.  Mackey  drew  a  long  breath.  "  I 
wonder  what  Jack  thought  of  the  colonel  ?  " 

"  He  likes  the  Yankee  very  much." 

"  Humph !  Well,  there  is  ho  accounting  for 
tastes."  Dr.  Mackey  pulled  himself  together 
with  an  effort.     "  If  you  see  this  Colonel  Stan- 


248  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

ton  don't  tell  him  about  me,  or  repeat  anything 
I  have  said,  will  you  ?  " 

"  I  don't  want  to  see  the  Yankee.  I  haven't 
any  use  for  any  of  them." 

"  Colonel  Stanton  ought  to  be  arrested  as  a 
spy.  I  know  for  a  fact  that  he  once  entered  our 
lines  and  reported  our  movements  to  his  superiors. 
It  would  be  a  feather  in  your  cap  if  you  could  have 
him  arrested  by  the  Confederate  authorities." 

"By  Jove!  do  you  really  think  that?"  asked 
St.  John,  with  renewed  interest. 

"  I  do." 

"  Then  I'll  report  the  case  without  delay.  I 
thought  he  was  something  of  a  sneak  the  first  time 
I  saw  him." 

"  If  the  South  would  hang  him  as  a  spy  it 
would  be  a  good  job  done." 

"  Would  you  be  willing  to  appear  against 
him?  "  asked  St.  John  anxiously. 

"  Well — er — no,  but  I  can  bring  two  other  men 
to  appear." 

"  Then  I'll  surely  have  him  arrested." 
And  what  about  those  things  ?  " 

"  I  will  get  them,  if  I  possibly  can." 

A  loud  clap  of  thunder  interrupted  the  conver- 
sation at  this  point,  and  when  it  was  renewed  the 
topic  was  not  of  special  interest  to  Jack. 

But  our  hero  had  heard  enough  to  make  him 


BROUGHT    TO  BAY.  249 

very  thoughtful.  Why  had  Dr.  Mackey  been  so 
startled  to  learn  that  Colonel  Stanton  was  at  the 
Ruthven  plantation,  and  why  had  he  been  so  anx- 
ious to  know  if  he  and  the  colonel  had  met? 

"  Here's  a  fresh  mystery,"  he  told  himself.  "  I 
must  unravel  it  if  I  can." 

"  I  am  going  to  return  home  now,"  said  St. 
John  presently,  when  the  storm  seemed  to  be 
clearing  away.  "  If  I  don't  get  back,  my  mother 
will  be  wondering  what  has  become  of  me." 

"All  right,"  answered  the  doctor.  "But  let 
me  hear  from  you  by  to-morrow  night,  sure." 

"  I  will." 

"  And  don't  mention  my  name  to  Colonel  Stan- 
ton." 

"  But  if  I  have  him  arrested  you  will  furnish 
those  witnesses  to  the  fact  that  he  is  a  spy?  " 

"  I  will,  rest  assured  on  the  point." 

A  little  later  St.  John  hurried  off  in  the  dark- 
ness. Dr.  Mackey  watched  him  go,  and  then  be- 
gan to  pace  the  floor  nervously. 

Jack  touched  Old  Ben  on  the  shoulder. 

"Wot  am  it,  Massah  Jack?"  whispered  the 
faithful  old  negro. 

"  Ben,  we  must  make  the  surgeon  a  prisoner." 

"  All  right,  Ise  ready  to  do  my  share." 

"  I  am  going  to  jump  down  on  his  back.  You 
[follow  me  with  the  gun." 


25°  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  I  will,  Massah  Jack." 

The  surgeon  continued  to  pace  the  floor  of  the 
cabin,  and,  watching  his  chance,  Jack  crawled  to 
the  edge  of  the  loft  opening. 

Just  as  Dr.  Mackey  swung  around  on  his  heel 
our  hero  gave  a  nimble  leap  and  landed  squarely 
on  his  ehoulders,  sending  the  surgeon  to  his  knees. 

"Hi,  what's  this?"  spluttered  the  rascal,  and 
tried  to  throw  Jack  off.  But  our  hero  clung  as 
fast  as  grim  death. 

"  It  means  that  you  are  now  my  prisoner,  Dr. 
Mackey." 

"  You !  "  ejaculated  the  astonished  man.  "  Let 
me  go,  I  say !  "  And  he  began  to  struggle  more 
violently  than  ever. 

But  by  this  time  Old  Ben  was  on  the  floor,  and 
the  negro  lost  no  time  in  poking  the  muzzle  of  the 
gun  under  the  surgeon's  nose.  This  brought  Dr. 
Mackey  to  a  standstill,  and  he  glared  at  his  oppo- 
nents in  amazement. 

"  Don't — don't  shoot !  "  he  gasped. 

"  Then  keep  quiet." 

"  How  did  you  escape  from  the  cave?  " 

"  That  is  our  business,  Dr.  Mackey.  Will  you 
submit,  or  not?" 

"  I  suppose  I'll  have  to  submit.  You  are  three 
to  one."  Columbus  Washington  was  now  beside 
Ben. 


BROUGHT   TO  BAY.  25 1 

"  Columbus,  see  if  you  can  find  a  rope  or  a 
strap.  We'll  bind  his  hands  behind  him,"  went 
on  Jack. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  me?  "  ques- 
tioned the  surgeon  anxiously. 

"  Put  you  where  you  deserve  to  be — behind  the 
bars,"  was  our  hero's  quiet,  but  firm,  answer. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

FATHER     AND     SON — CONCLUSION. 

"  Jack,  do  you  mean  to  say  you  would  put  yout 
own  father  in  prison  ?  "  asked  Dr.  Mackey  re- 
proachfully, after  Old  Ben  had  tied  his  hands  be- 
hind him. 

"  I  would — were  he  such  a  fraud  and  villain  as 
you,  Dr.  Mackey,"  was  our  hero's  calm  reply. 
"  You  will  never  make  me  believe  that  any  of  your 
blood  flows  in  my  veins." 

"  Then  you  believe  I  am  an  impostor?  " 

"  I  do." 

The  doctor  fell  back  and  sank  on  a  bench. 
Jack's  firm  manner  appeared  to  take  his  nerve 
from  him. 

"  What  shall  you  do  next?  "  he  asked  finally. 

"  Take  you  straight  to  our  plantation." 

"  No!  no!  Colonel "     Dr.  Mackey  stopped 

short.     "  Do  not  take  me  there,  I  beg  of  you !  " 

"  But  I  shall  take  you  there,  and  what  is  more, 
I  am  going  to  find  out  what  Colonel  Stanton  has 
to  say  concerning  you." 

At  this  the  surgeon  grew  as  pale  as  death. 

»5* 


FATHER  AND   SON— CONCLUSION.  253 

"  You — have  ho  right  to  take  me  to  the  planta- 
tion. Remember,  I  am  a  Confederate  officer.  If 
you  keep  me  a  prisoner,  you  will  be  liable  to  heavy 
punishment." 

"  We'll  risk  it."  Jack  turned  to  Columbus 
Washington.     "  See  if  the  rain  is  letting  up." 

The  colored  man  went  out  and  presently  re- 
ported that  the  worst  of  the  storm  seemed  over. 

"  Then  we  will  start,"  said  Jack.  "  Now,  Dr. 
Mackey,  if  you  try  to  escape,  I  will  order  Old 
Ben  to  fire  at  you." 

"  You  are  very  hard  on  your  father." 

"  If  you  call  me  your  son  again,  I  will  knock 
you  down  where  you  stand." 

At  this  curt  threat  the  surgeon  relapsed  into 
silence,  his  brow  showing  plainly  that  he  was  in 
deep  thought.  The  cabin  was  soon  left  behind, 
and  Columbus  Washington  showed  the  most 
direct  route  to  the  Ruthven  plantation.  Jack 
came  b.hind  the  colored  man,  with  Dr.  Mackey 
beside  hin  and  Old  Ben  brought  up  the  rear,  his 
gun  ready  to  shoot  at  the  first  sign  of  opposition 
upon  the  prisoner's  part. 

The  first  streaks  of  dawn  were  beginning  to 
show  themselves  when  the  party  of  four  came  in 
sight  of  the  mansion.  As  they  came  closer  Dr. 
Mackey  showed  increased  alarm  over  the  situa< 
tioru 


254  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

"  Jack,  let  us  .come  to  terms,"  he  said  presently. 

"What  terms?" 

"  For  reasons  of  my  own  I  do  not  wish  to  visit 
Mrs.  Ruthven's  house  while  Colonel  Stanton  is 
under  her  roof." 

"  Surely  you  are  hot  afraid  of  a  sick  man,  even 
if  he  is  a  Yankee  spy." 

At  this  the  surgeon  winced. 

"  It  is  not  that.     I— I " 


"  I  will  not  listen  to  you.     March !  " 

"  But,  Jack " 

"  March,  I  say,  or  Old  Ben  shall  fire  on  you." 

With  something  resembling  a  groan  the  sur- 
geon went  on,  and  in  a  few  minutes  more  the 
party  gained  the  piazza,  and  Jack  was  using  the 
big  knocker  on  the  door  lustily. 

"  Who  is  there?  "  came  from  an  upper  window, 
and  then  Mrs.  Ruthven  uttered  a  cry  of  joy. 
"Jack!" 

"Yes,  mother;  I  am  back  again;  safe  and 
sound,"  he  answered. 

Mrs.  Ruthven  was  soon  down  and  let  him  in. 
She  was  naturally  startled  to  behold  Dr.  Mackey, 
especially  as  a  prisoner. 

"  What  can  this  mean?  "  she  began,  and  then 
looked  at  Jack  curiously.  "  Jack,  do  you  know 
the  truth?" 

"  What  truth,  mother?  " 


FATHER  AND   SON— CONCLUSION.  255 

"  That  this  man  is  an  impostor." 

"  I  have  thought  so  all  along.  But  what  do 
you  know  of  this?  " 

"  Colonel  Stanton  is  here,  Jack.  He  knows 
Dr.  Mackey  only  too  well." 

"  So  I  supposed  from  what  this  fellow  said." 

"To  you?" 

"  No,  to  St.  John." 

"  My  dear  Mrs.  Ruthven,  this  is  all  a  dreadful 
mistake,"  burst  in  the  surgeon.  "  I  do  not  know 
Colonel  Stanton  at  all.  I  spoke  of  a  Colonel 
Stanwood — quite  a  different  person,  I  can  assure 
you." 

"  I  do  not  believe  you,  Dr.  Mackey,"  answered 
Mrs.  Ruthven  emphatically. 

"  You  are  very  hard  upon  me,  madam." 

"  I  think  I  have  a  right  to  be  hard  upon  you, 
sir.  You  have  tried  your  best  to  rob  me  of  my 
son." 

"  But  he  shan't  do  it,  mother,"  put  in  Jack 
warmly. 

"  No,  Jack,  he'll  never  be  able  to  do  that — 
now,"  answered  Mrs.  Ruthven  significantly. 
And  then  she  added,  "  See  to  it,  Ben,  that  he 
does  not  get  away.  I  wish  to  speak  to  Jack  in 
private." 

"  He  shan't  git  away  from  Old  Ben,  nohow," 
answered  the  faithful  negro. 


256  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

Mrs.  Ruthven  led  Jack  into  the  parlor  and 
closed  the  door  carefully. 

"  My  boy,  I  have  a  great  surprise  for  you,"  she 
began.     "  Do  you  think  you  can  bear  it?  " 

"  What  surprise,  mother?  "  he  asked  quickly. 

"  Colonel  Stanton  is  here,  wounded.  He  has 
told  me  something  of  his  past,  and  it  concerns 
you." 

"Me?" 

"  Yes,  Jack.  You  are  not  Dr.  Mackey's  son  at 
all,  but  the  son  of  the  colonel." 

"I  am  Colonel  Stanton's  son!"  gasped  our 
hero,  hardly  able  to  frame  the  words. 

"  I  knew  you  would  be  amazed.  But  it  is 
true,  as  he  has  proved  beyond  the  shadow  of  a 
doubt." 

"  But — but "     Jack   tried   to   go   on,   but 

words  failed  him.  He  the  son  of  the  colonel — the 
son  of  a  Yankee  officer?  It  was  something  of 
which  he  had  never  dreamed.  Yet,  even  on  the 
instant,  he  remembered  how  much  the  colonel  had 
impressed  him,  and  what  a  gentleman  he  had 
thought  the  officer. 

"  I  will  tell  you  the  story,"  went  on  Mrs.  Ruth- 
ven, and  did  so.  Jack  was  all  attention,  and 
when  he  learned  the  true  depth  of  Dr.  Mackey's 
villainy  his  eyes  flashed  fire. 

"  Now  I  understand  why  he  didn't  wish  to  meet 


FATHER  AN&  SON—CONCLUSION.  *57 

Colonel  Stanton  face  to  face,"  he  said.     "No 
wonder  he  is  afraid." 

"  Your  father  is  sleeping  now,"  continued  lVi  3 
Ruthven.     "He  is  improved,  but  still  somewhat 
weak.     You  can  go  to  him  when  he  awakens.     I 
think  it  will  be  best,  for  the  present,  to  keep  the 
fact  of  Dr.  Mackey's  capture  a  secret." 

"  You  are  right,  mother." 

The  matter  was  talked  over,  and  Dr.  Mackey 
was  later  on  taken  to  a  garret  room  and  tied  fast 
to  an  old  four-poster  bedstead,  a  piece  of  furni- 
ture weighing  considerably  over  a  hundred 
pounds.  Then  Old  Ben  was  placed  at  the  door 
to  watch  him. 

Just  before  the  colonel  awoke  Jack  went  in  to 
see  him.  As  our  hero  looked  at  that  handsome 
face  his  heart  beat  rapidly.  He  bent  over  and 
kissed  the  colonel's  forehead1  and  this  awoke  the 
wounded  man. 

"  Jack,  my  son !  "  murmured  the  colonel,  as  his 
eyes  rested  on  the  face  of  the  youth.  "  My  son, 
at  last!" 

"  Father !  "  was  the  only  word  Jack  could  utter, 
but,  oh,  how  much  it  meant!  Then  he  caught 
his  parent  by  both  hands,  and  for  a  moment  there 
was  utter  silence. 

"  I  was  so  afraid  something  had  happened  to 
you,"  went  on  the  colonel.     "  Oh,  Jack !  you  do 


25^  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

not  know  how  glad  I  am  that  we  have  found  one 
another !  " 

"  And  I  am  glad,  too,"  replied  our  hero.  "  Do 
you  know  I  was  drawn  to  you  from  the  first  time 
I  saw  you  ?  "  he  added. 

"  And  I  was  drawn  to  you — even  though  you 
were  a  little  Confederate,"  and  the  colonel  smiled. 
"  And  you  are  a  Yankee !  "  cried  Jack.  "  But 
I  don't  care  what  you  are,  father,"  he  continued 
hastily.  "  Blood  is  thicker  than  water;  isn't  it  ?  " 
"  Yes,  Jack;  and  what  is  more,  I  trust  this  cruel 
war  will  soon  be  over,  and  we  will  have  no  North 
and  no  South,  but  just  one  country." 

Jack  remained  with  his  parent  for  over  an  hour, 
then  went  off  to  see  what  could  be  done  with  Dr. 
Mackey. 

It  was  the  middle  of  the  forenoon  when  Marion 
discovered  St.  John  coming,  accompanied  by  sev- 
eral Confederate  soldiers. 

"  He  has  come  to  arrest  my  father,"  said  Jack. 
"  But  he  shan't  do  it." 

"  He  will  be  surprised  when  we  show  him  Dr. 
Mackey  as  a  prisoner,"  returned  Marion. 

She  went  to  let  her  cousin  in,  and  St.  John  be- 
gan at  once  to  speak  of  Colonel  Stanton. 

"  He  is  a  spy,"  said  the  spendthrift.  "  You 
should  be  ashamed  to  harbor  him  in  your  house. 
These  men  will  place  him  under  arrest." 


FATHER  AND   SON-CONCLUSION.  259 

"  I  don't  think  they  will,"  put  in  Jack,  as  he 
came  forward.  "  So  you  are  here  to  do  Dr. 
Mackey's  dirty  work,  are  you,"  he  added. 

"Eh?  What — er — do  you  mean?"  stam- 
mered St.  John. 

"  You  are  found  out,  St.  John,"  said  Mrs. 
Ruthven,  coming  on  the  scene.  "  And  let  me  tell 
you  that  hereafter  it  will  be  best  for  you  to  re- 
main away  from  this  place.  You  schemed  to 
steal  some  of  my  things,  but  you  shall  not  do  it." 

"  Why,  Aunt  Alice "  he  began. 

"It  is  true.  Do  you  know  that  Dr.  Mackey  is 
a  prisoner?  " 

At  these  words  St.  John  fell  back  and  grew  very 
pale. 

"  A  prisoner,  did  you  say?  "  he  faltered. 

"  Yes.  He  has  plotted  against  not  only  Jack 
and  myself,  but  also  against  the  Federal  officer 
who  is  under  my  roof,  badly  wounded." 

"  You  mean  Colonel  Stanton  ?  " 

"  I  do." 

"  He  is  a  spy,  aunt." 

"  He  is  nothing  of  the  sort.  He  is  a  brave 
officer,  and  as  such  deserves  the  best  of  treatment. 
St.  John,  the  less  you  mix  up  in  this  affair  the 
better  it  will  be  for  you." 

A  stormy  scene  followed,  and  St.  John  came 
out  of  it  considerably  frightened,  especially  when 


260  YOUNG   CAPTAIN  JACK. 

he  was  told  that  the  colonel  was  Jack's  father  and 
that  Dr.  Mackey  was  proved  to  be  a  thorough 
villain. 

"  I — I  won't  ask  for  this  arrest  just  now,"  he 
said,  to  the  men  he  had  brought  along.  "  We 
will  let  the  matter  drop  for  the  present.  The 
man  is  too  sick  to  be  moved,  anyway."  And  soon 
after  he  hurried  away,  and  his  companions  with 
him.  He  never  showed  himself  at  his  aunt's  door 
again. 

"  And  we  are  well  rid  of  him,"  said  Marion. 
"  He  is  as  cowardly  as  he  is  unprincipled." 

On  the  day  following  Jack's  return  home  there 
was  a  long-drawn  battle  in  the  mountains  between 
the  Federal  troops  and  the  guerrillas,  which  re- 
sulted in  the  killing  off  of  a  number  of  the  out- 
laws, including  those  who  had  held  our  hero  a 
prisoner.  In  this  contest  Gendron  was  also  killed, 
and  he  died  without  revealing  what  he  knew  of 
Dr.  Mackey's  past. 

The  outlaws'  camp  was  thoroughly  searched, 
and  here  were  found  the  goods  stolen  from  the 
trader  who  had  been  attacked  in  the  storm,  and 
also  a  number  of  other  things  of  value,  including 
the  tin  box  taken  from  the  wreck  of  the  Nautilus. 
Later  on  this  box,  with  its  contents,  was  turned 
over  to  Colonel  Stanton. 

"  My  precious  papers !  "  said  the  officer  to  Jack, 


FATHER  AND   SON— CONCLUSION.  26 1 

as  he  looked  them  over.     "  My  son,  nothing  now 
stands  between  us  and  our  fortune." 

A  few  words  more  and  we  will  bring  this  tale 
to  a  close. 

Colonel  Stanton's  recovery  was  slow,  and  by 
the  time  he  got  around  again  the  great  Civil  War 
was  a  thing  of  the  past.  For  this  the  colonel  was 
truly  thankful,  and  so  were  Jack,  Mrs.  Ruth- 
ven,  and  Marion. 

As  soon  as  it  was  possible  to  do  so,  the  colonel 
resigned  from  the  army.  This  done,  he  set  to 
work  to  prosecute  Dr.  Mackey  and  recover  the 
fortune  due  himself  and  Jack.  As  a  result  of 
these  movements  Dr.  Mackey  received  a  term  of 
ten  years  in  prison,  and  inside  of  a  year  the  Stan- 
tons,  father  and  son,  came  into  possession  of  a 
fortune  worth  a  hundred  and  fifteen  thousand 
dollars. 

Colonel  Stanton  had  thought  at  first  to  go  back 
to  the  North  and  settle  down,  but  Mrs.  Ruthven 
hated  to  part  with  Jack,  and  it  was  decided  that 
all  should  remain  at  the  plantation.  A  year  later 
the  colonel  married  the  widow,  so  that  Mrs.  Ruth- 
ven, now  Mrs.  Stanton,  became  once  more  Jack's 
mother. 

"  And  that  is  just  what  I  wanted,"  said  Jack, 
after  the  wedding. 

The  ceremon)/-  at  the  plantation  was  a  double 


262  YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK. 

one,  for  at  the  time  Mrs.  Ruthven  married  the 
colonel  Marion  gave  her  heart  into  the  keeping  of 
Dr.  Harry  Powell,  who  had  now  set  up  a  lucra- 
tive practice  for  himself  in  Philadelphia.  The 
double  wedding  was  a  grand  affair,  and  was  the 
talk  of  the  neighborhood  for  a  long  time  after- 
ward. The  Ruthvens  from  the  other  plantation 
were  invited,  but  while  Mrs.  Mary  Ruthven  came, 
St.  John  was  conspicuous  by  his  absence. 

St.  John  was  now  a  worse  spendthrift  than 
ever,  and  it  was  not  long  before  the  plantation 
went  under  the  hammer,  and  Mrs.  Mary  Ruth- 
ven was  compelled  to  live  upon  her  sister-in-law's 
charity.  St.  John  drifted  to  New  Orleans  and 
finally  to  the  West,  and  that  was  the  last  heard  of 
him.  Let  us  trust  that  he  saw  the  error  of  his 
ways  and  turned  over  a  new  leaf. 

As  for  Jack,  he  proved  to  be  indeed  the  son  of 
a  soldier,  for  some  years  later  he  entered  West 
Point  Military  Academy,  and  graduated  with  high 
honors.  From  the  Academy  he,  too,  went  West, 
but  as  an  officer  at  one  of  the  well-known  forts. 
His  career  here  was  full  of  daring  and  honor,  and 
he  speedily  rose  to  the  position  of  colonel,  which 
he  filled  with  all  of  his  old-time  bravery  and 
loyalty. 


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Or,  Bound  to  Win  Out 

In  this  new  tale  the  Putnam  Hall  Cadets  show  what  they  can 
do  in  various  keen  rivalries  on  the  athletic  field  and  elsewhere. 
There  is  one  victory  which  leads  to  a  most  unlooked-for  discovery. 
The  volume  is  full  of  fun  and  good  fellowship,  calculated  to  make 
the  Putnam  Hall  Series  more  popular  than  ever. 

THE  PUTNAM  HALL  CADETS 

Or,  Good  Times  in  School  and  Out 

The  cadets  are  lively,  flesh-and- blood  fellows,  bound  to  make 
friends  from  the  start.  There  are  some  keen  rivalries,  in  school 
and  out,  and  something  is  told  of  a  remarkable  midnight  feast  and 
a  hazing  that  had  an  unlooked-for  ending. 

THE  PUTNAM  HALL  RIVALS 

Or,  Fun  and  Sport  Afloat  and  Ashore 

It  is  a  lively,  rattling,  breezy  story  of  school  life  in  this  country, 
written  by  one  who  knows  all  about  its  ways,  its  snowball  fights, 
its  baseball  matches,  its  pleasures  and  its  perplexities,  its  glorious 
excitements,  its  rivalries,  and  its  chilling  disappointments.  It  is  a 
capitally  written  story  which  will  interest  boys  vastly. 

OtHer  Volumes  isa  Preparation. 

GBOSSET  &  DUNLAP,       -       NEW  YOBS 


The  Rise  in  Life  Series 

By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr. 

These  are  Copyrighted  Stories  which  cannot  be  obtained  else" 
where.     They  are  the  stories  last  written  by  this  famous  author. 

i2mo.  Handsomely  printed  and  illustrated.  Bound  in  cloth, 
stamped  in  colored  inks. 

Price,  GO  Cents  per  VoltsErae.    Postpaid* 

THE  YOUNG  BOOK  AGENT 

Or,  Frank  Hardy's  Road  to  Success 

A  plain  but  uncommonly  interesting  tale  of  everyday  life,  describing 
the  ups  and  downs  of  a  boy  book-agent. 

FROM   FARM  TO   FORTUNE:    Or,  Nat  Nason's   Strange 
Experience 
Nat  was  a  poor  country  lad.    Woru  on  the  farm  was  hard,  and  after  a 
quarrel  with  his  uncle,  with  whom  he  resided,  he  struck  out  for  himself 

OUT  FOR  BUSINESS  :    Or,  Robert  Frost's  Strange  Career 

Relates  the  adventures  of  a  country  boy  who  is  compelled  to  leave  home 
and  seek  his  fortune  in  the  great  world  at  large.  How  he  wins  success 
we  must  leave  to  the  reader  to  discover. 

FALLING  IN  WITH  FORTUNE 
Or,  The  Experiences  of  a  Young  Secretary 

This  is  a  companion  tale  to  "  Out  for  Business,"  but  complete  in  itself, 
and  tells  of  the  further  doings  of  Robert  Frost  as  private  secretary. 

YOUNG  CAPTAIN  JACK :    Or,  The  Son  of  a  Soldier 

The  scene  is  laid  in  the  South  during  the  Civil  War,  and  the  hero  is  a 
waif  who  was  cast  up  by  the  sea  and  adopted  by  a  rich  Southern  planter. 

NELSON  THE  NEWSBOY:    Or,  Afloat  in  New  York 

Mr.  Alger  is  always  at  his  best  in  the  portrayal  of  life  in  New  York  City, 
and  this  story  is  among  the  best  he  has  given  our  young  readers. 

LOST  AT  SEA :    Or,  Robert  Roscoe's  Strange  Cruise 

A  sea  story  of  uncommon  interest.  The  hero  falls  in  with  a  strange 
derelict— a  ship  given  over  to  the  wild  animals  of  a  menagerie. 

JERRY,  THE  BACKWOODS  BOY 

Or,  The  Parkhurst  Treasure 

Depicts  life  on  a  farm  of  New  York  State.  The  mystery  of  the  treasure 
will  fascinate  every  boy.    Jerry  is  a  character  well  worth  knowing. 

RANDY  OF  THE  RIVER 

Or,  The  Adventures  of  a  Young  Deckhand 

Life  on  a  river  steamboat  is  not  so  romantic  as  some  young  people  may 
imagine.  There  is  hard  work,  and  plenty  of  it,  and  the  remuneration  is 
not  of  the  best.  But  Randy  Thompson  wanted  work  and  took  what  was 
offered.  His  success  in  the  end  was  well  deserved,  and  perhaps  the  lesson 
his  doings  teach  will  not  be  lost  upon  those  who  peruse  these  pages. 

GEOSSET  &  DUNLAP,       -       NEW  YORK 


The  Flag  of  Freedom  Series 

By  CAPTAIN  RALPH    BONEHILL. 

A  favorite  Line  of  Americati  Stories  for  American  Boys. 
Every  volume  complete  in  itself,  and  handsomely  illustrated. 
1 2 mo.     Bound  in  cloth      Stamped  in  Colors. 

Price,  GO  Cents  per  Volume.    Postpaid. 

WITH   CUSTER   IN  THE   BLACK   HILLS 

Or,  A  Young  Scout  among  the  Indians. 

Tells  of  the  remarkable  experiences  of  a  youth  who,  with  his  parents, 
goes  to  the  Black  Hills  in  search  of  gold.  Custer's  last  battle  is  well 
described.    A  volume  every  lad  fond  of  Indian  stories  should  possess. 

BOYS  OF  THE   FORT 
Or,  A  Young  Captain's  Pluck. 

This  story  of  stirring  doings  at  one  of  our  well-known  forts  in  the 
Wild  West  is  of  more  than  ordinary  interest.  The  young  captain  had  a 
difficult  task  to  accomplish,  but  he  had  been  drilled  to  do  his  duty,  and 
does  it  thoroughly.    Gives  a  good  insight  into  army  life  of  to-day. 

THE   YOUNG   BANDMASTER 
Or,  Concert,  Stage,  and  Battlefield. 

The  hero  is  a  youth  with  a  passion  for  music,  who  becomes  a  cornetist 
in  an  orchestra,  and  works  his  way  up  to  the  leadership  of  a  brass  band. 
He  is  carried  off  to  sea  and  falls  in  with  a  secret  service  cutter  bound  for 
Cuba,  and  while  there  joins  a  military  band  which  accompanies  our 
soldiers  in  the  never-to-be-forgotten  attack  on  Santiago. 

OFF   FOR    HAWAII 
Or,  The  Mystery  of  a  Great  Volcano. 

Here  we  have  fact  and  romance  cleverly  interwoven.  Several  boys 
start  on  a  tour  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands.  They  have  heard  that  there  is  a 
treasure  located  in  the  vicinity  of  Kilauea,  the  largest  active  volcano  in 
the  world,  and  go  in  search  of  it.  Their  numerous  adventures  will  be 
foHowed  with  much  interest. 

A  SAILOR   BOY  WITH    DEV/EY 
Or,  Afloat  in  the  Philippines. 
The  story  of  Dewey's  victory  in  Manila  Bay  will  never  grow  old,  but 
here  we  have  it  told  in  a  new  form — as  it  appeared  to  a  real,  live  American 
youth  who  was  in  the  navy  at  the  time.    Many  adventures  in  Manila  and 
in  the  interior  follow,  give  true-to-life  scenes  from  this  portion  of  the  globe. 

WHEN  SANTIAGO   FELL 

Or,  the  War  Adventures  of  Two  Chums. 

Two  boys,  an  American  and  his  Cuban  chum,  leave  New  York  to 
join  their  parents  in  the  interior  of  Cuba.  The  war  between  Spain  and 
the  Cubans  is  on,  and  the  boys  are  detained  at  Santiago,  but  escape  by 
crossing  the  bay  at  night.  Many  adventures  between  the  lines  follow,  and 
a  good  pen-picture  of  General  Garcia  is  given. 

GEOSSET  &  DUNLAP,        -       NEW  YOKK 


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